


The Silver and the Black

by englishrose2011



Series: The Silver and the Black [1]
Category: Charmed, The Sentinel
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-12
Updated: 2013-10-12
Packaged: 2017-12-29 05:55:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1001798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishrose2011/pseuds/englishrose2011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story set in an AU when magic is known of and the forces of good and evil are at war, on one side is the Source of All Evil, on the other side the Elders. When an evil threatens the world and good and evil have to form a truce the Tr'io pairing is formed.  Together the Tr'io work together policing the supernatural world. But sometimes evil comes in the most unexpected forms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Silver and the Black

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The main characters are not mine, this is an amateur effort written purely for the fun of it, and no money has exchanged hands, and it is not intended to breach the copyright of Paramount and Pet Fly Publication for The Sentinel, or Spelling Productions, WB and TNT for Charmed.
> 
> This story is an AU Sentinel crossed with an AU Charmed.

Silver and Black. The Beginning

Egypt 1923 Monday

The car was parked in the street, and a few coins to a couple of the ragged street urchins, guaranteed the car was safe. James Ellison walked past street vendors trying to sell him everything from mint tea, to photographs that would have made a marine blush. The Nile Cruise boat had arrived that morning, which meant that the passengers would be having a day at ease before their trip to a working archaeological site. Like most of the crew, he disliked the sightseers, who would come out to experience the thrills of a dig for a couple of days before going back to their luxury boat, and the next port of call on their Egyptian tour, but it brought in extra money. Unlike the Chapman Finch excavation that had the full funding of the British Museum or the Munroe excavation that was funded by the New York Museum, they had to get funding where they could, especially since they had been side lined to one of the more remote and unlikely sites. As Chapman Finch had said, "What do you expect old boy when you work for a woman, give them the vote and they think they can do anything." He wanted to knock the smarmy look off the man's face, but had only held back at the last minute. Dawn Parker didn't need the kind of trouble it would bring down on her. It made him want to show them that their small dig, their unpopular dig, was going to be the one to write the history books.

A sudden noise came from a side alleyway, made Jim Ellison clasp his hands to his ears. It was a thudding sound, loud and fast, then voices thundered around him. He spun around and saw the struggle going on. Two men in police uniforms had another man pinned to the wall. His upper clothing was twisted up over his head, and a third police officer was laying into his back with a switch that was raising welts. The man was cursing at them in Arabic, but he had heard English as well.

"What the hell's going on?"

The police officer turned at the sound of a western voice, looking past the newcomer he saw the car. "A common thief, sir. He is learning his lesson, a warning next time we will take him in."

One of the police officers took the opportunity to pull the prisoner around, drag the clothing down into place, and allowed Jim to get his first look at the prisoner.

He was small, only around five seven, and looked young, very young, his hair was cut raggedly short, but his clothing was clean, and there was pain etched in his face, a thin trace of blood ran from his mouth and nose, and a bruise was starting on the side of his jaw. Only the grip of the policemen seemed to be holding him upright.

"How much?"

"Sir," but the man's eyes had narrowed.

"There must be a fine for his crime, I am too busy to go to the police station to pay for him."

Jim saw the way the police officer was looking at him, calculating the value, a knowing smile touched his lips, and he leaned forward, two men of the world. "If your tastes are refined Sir, I know a place, better than this street rat."

It took all of Jim's will power not to put the man down, "No he will do fine, the rougher the trade the cheaper the price," he quipped and then added "So how much?"

After one final look at his friend the police officer moved closer, gave his price, took the notes and with a nod to his colleagues walked away.

Jim turned to view the man he had helped. The younger man was bending over to pick up a brown leather bag, He opened the bag and the contents, before looking up, his blue eyes wide and scared.

"Look man I don't know what you think but I don't do that sort of thing, I can write you a letter, find you an artifact, translate, but I don't lift the linen."

"Easy Chief, I never thought you did," Jim waved him closer, "How good is your Arabic?" he was looking at the younger man critically, he might just do.

"Names not Chief, it's Blair."

"I am James Ellison, with the Parker Excavation," he put his hand out, and scrutinized the younger man. "I have a proposition for you."

"Parker, the mad white woman," Blair said it levelly.

"She is brilliant, Chief, and remember that. I am heading to the hotel, now you can either stay here or walk with me. I am sure your friends will want to continue their conversation."

With a shrug Blair followed, he owed the guy that much, and he had seen the police officers still hanging around.

Jim checked his watch, he had plenty of time and the kid could be useful.

Over a drink and food, which he was pleased to see the younger man eat as if it was going out of fashion, he explained. "So you see the archaeological excavation is progressing well. The main entrance to the tomb has been unearthed and the seals are still intact, but of course that's no guarantee that the tomb is untouched. Many of them were sacked within days of the Pharaoh being laid to rest by the very people that put the treasure there. But Dawn is sure that this tomb will be intact and I believe her, she's a good scholar and not afraid to get her hands dirty."

Blair took another bite of the flat bread; he was waiting for the other shoe to fall. Ellison had said that he didn't want him, that way, but was paying for his meal and his *fine* he wanted something. Under the cover of the table he slid his hand into the bag and fingered the knife, taking comfort in it.

"Don't even think of it Blair. Believe me kid whatever you're planning I could stop you before you even think about it."

Slowly Blair brought both his hands up and rested them on the tabletop. "So what I am to think? The last man that offered me a meal and a bath, wanted to take it with me." He gave his hair a tug, "why do you think I cut this."

"Well your virtue is safe Mr…" Jim paused.

"Just Blair."

"Okay Just Blair. Look, part of the job is to baby sit the tourists. They pay their money and come around to look at the Archaeologists at work. They are paying big bucks for the privilege. So you come to the dig, act like their courier and we pay you to make sure they don't get fleeced by the locals."

Blair took a drink, and then put a hand out, "you have a deal Mr. Ellison."

"Jim."

"James." Blair repeated the formal form of the name.

Jim collected the key from the hotel manager and shepherded his charge upstairs, then opened the windows wide to get the last of the evening breeze. He tried the water in the bathroom, and allowed himself a smile. The manager knew he liked a bath, and always made sure he got one of the rooms with a good bath. This time he was willing to sacrifice it. His nose twitched. The kid was pretty ripe. He had cleaned his clothes, they looked grubby more than dirty, but he needed a bath.

He collected the clothing from the bathroom, leaving Blair soaking and handed them with a folded note to the maid. She promised to get the clothes back to him by the morning fully laundered. When Blair got out he panicked, his clothes were gone. He peered around the door, then was hit in the face with a towel, "use these, your clothes are being cleaned," Blair caught hold of it before it hit the floor, and "you'll find my shaving kit on the shelf, you better use it."

Blair ran a hand over his stubble chin, and with a soft sigh began to lather the soap; it was good to be clean again. He gave his hair a tug, nothing could be done about that at the moment. He was still puzzled about why he should trust Jim Ellison, but something about the man made him trust him. Sure he had voiced his concerns twice, but the second was more to get the measure of the man. He was honest and meant what he said.

Blair lifted one hand up and for a moment in the mirror the area above it glowed red and began to form a sphere that would not be needed tonight, it vanished. The police officers had worried him. The old man had cried Demon, and luckily the police had taken it more as a term of insult rather than literally. If it had been taken literally, they would have come after him with more than just a switch, he shuddered. His mind went back to the old man, a retired hunter, just his luck; maybe he should just get out of here. But then he could hear Jim moving around the room; perhaps he could wait a little longer. Coming out he paused, the older man had made the two beds up and was stood at the balcony looking out across the city towards the Nile. It was then Blair felt it, a vibe coming off him. Confirming what he had know earlier, the man was a Sentinel, mortal, but latent. If he could claim him now, before he became a Silver Blade, a warrior of the Light, then he would have his own Sentinel. Something that he had dreamed of from the moment he had first learned of them. This Sentinel was his. For the first time in his long life Blair was looking forward to the dawning of a new day.

The Excavations Dawn Parker brushed her hair from her face and allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. This was going to be one of the great finds of the ages and no one was going to be able to take it away from her. The academics that has said that no woman could mount and lead an expedition were about to be proven wrong in the most public of ways. It would make Carter's finds at the Tomb of Tutankhamun pale into insignificance. Looking up into the sky she knew it was already too late to breech the Tomb that day, tomorrow they would create history. Checking on the guards at the tomb entrance she turned back to her tent. Tomorrow the tourists would arrive. It angered her they would interfere with her work, but on the other hand it gave her the money she needed to keep digging.

Wednesday Joseph Banks gunned the engine of the Ford as it rattled along the tracks that made up the road to Valley Of the Kings, he was used to the looks of the locals and the Europeans. A black journalist was still a rarity, especially one working for the New York Times. But he had worked hard to be accepted for what he was, a damn good journalist and not a token for the liberal hearted owner as he had heard it claimed more than once. He had earned his place for his correspondence work during the Great War, and in the process won an award for bravery under fire. Now he had the scoop on what could be a great story, and he was not about to let anyone else get to it before him.

Carter's find was already spread across the papers of about every English speaking newspaper from America to India and back, but this one would outshine them all because of the social impact, a blue stocking from Oxford had beaten the odds and mounted a challenge to the male preserve of Archaeology. And those men that thought women were only good for home making were going to have to sit back and take note.

Bringing the car to a halt, Joseph looked up into the sky. It was a mass of wheeling scavenger birds, and as he came close to the tented village of the excavations the stink of death became overwhelming. Bodies lay across the village, all violent death, blood smeared the collapsed tents. For a moment Joseph froze, then taking a deep breath he reached under the seat of the Ford and took out his old service revolver. Checking to see that it was loaded, he pocketed the box of bullets, then stepped out into the sun. As he moved through the camp there was not a sound of human life, only the squawk of the birds, and the buzzing of thousands of flies as they gorged themselves on the blood of the dead. Whatever happened had happened fast. He saw some guns but when he checked them, only one or two shots had been fired. Most of the dead faces were frozen in masks of horror.

Dawn Parker was face down in the sand; her body unmarked. The tomb was open, but the seals had been broken from the inside, not from being opened by the Archaeologists. Something had burst from the tomb.

Joseph was sweating from the heat, but he suddenly went cold, it was as if an evil had settled over the excavation.

It was then he saw it. For a moment he thought it was sun haze, the glare bouncing off the sand, then he realized it was a man. One minute there was nothing, the next he shimmered into view in front of him. Dressed all in black he was short around five foot eight, his hair was dark and roughly cut. His face showed his anger as he looked around at the carnage, Crossing to one of the bodies, he knelt down, his hand running over the face lightly, closing the eyes. The man closed his own eyes then threw back his heard and screamed. When he got to his feet Joseph could see the track of tears down his face. At that moment his attention was turned onto Joseph, and the journalist was rooted to the spot by the piecing blue eyes.

Joseph with a curse brought his revolver up, "Stay right there."

The man's hand moved and the gun was bashed from Joseph's hand by a blue ball of light. The journalist cradled his hand as pain flashed through his fingers. He took a step back as the man moved towards him.

If he was trying to put him at ease the new comer failed miserably as he said, "If I had wanted you dead, you would have ceased to breath the moment I arrived." He paused, "this was not my work, but the Demon that did this will pay. No one takes what is mine."

Then he disappeared leaving Joseph alone among the dead. He heard a groan of pain, and looked around trying to locate its source. Then he saw a hand move, and he was by the man's side. Joseph looked down into the face of James Ellison, blood coated his features. Joseph stumbled back and landed on his backside in the desert sand as the large black scorched wound on James Ellison's chest began to close, leaving only smooth skin, then Ellison's eyes opened. He was alive.

San Francisco California USA April 2005

For the three Halliwell sisters, things had changed drastically on the death of their beloved Grandmother; they had inherited the Power of Three. Each of the sisters was a Witch, but when they combined their powers they became the most powerful of all Witches. It had plunged them into a life and death fight with the forces of good against evil. Now it looked as if it had taken a turn for the worse, as Karl a Whitelighter appeared in their living room in a shower of white sparkling light. He looked as if he was in his late forties, was immaculately dressed as always, and a smile lit up his face as he looked at his temporary charges. Because the sister's mother had made the mistake of falling in love with her own Whitelighter, the word had come down from the Council of the Elders, that the girls were forbidden from having a permanent Whitelighter. They would make sure that it didn't happen again,

One look at his face and Piper the more mellow of the three sisters knew that something was very wrong, and didn't waste any time voicing her concern.

"The Council of Elders have received a message from the Source of All Evil, Its called The Kron. And the fact it had been issued means that a disaster is on its heels." He paused seeing that the girls hadn't fully grasped what it meant. "The Kron is a truce, between Good and Evil. Once it has been issued it leaves the way open for a Tr'io to be created." Karl ran a hand through his hair trying to look calm as he realized that the girls still didn't understand what he was saying. But part of it had made sense to them.

"You've got to be kidding, the Source and the Elders, never." Pru, the eldest of the three girls, put in not ready to believe him.

"Not impossible, just very very rare. It's up to you three to make sure that balance is restored between good and evil."

Piper rolled her eyes. Whitelighters. Why couldn't they ever come to the point, "So when does the other shoe drop, there has to be a but. So what is it?"

"Er well," Now that worried the girls. If was the first time they had seen the Whitelighter struggling for words. "As I said the Kron, is the first stage towards the Tr'io and that is when good and evil have to work together to put it right." From the looks on the sister's faces he knew they were going to argue, and made his tone harder, and final. "Which is why tonight the Charmed Ones, are going meet and have to learn to work with a high level Arch Demon. The Source himself has assigned one of his mercenary Demons to the Kron. He is one of his personal assassins and enforcers."

"Which one?" Pru leaned forward, her eyes pinned the Whitelighter, "Not Bh'lear, we only came across him once and didn't even come close to vanquishing him, he gutted the house and killed the White Blade that was helping us. He's not stable," her voice became slightly higher, "he's a card carrying psycho."

Piper cut across her sister, "that's not the problem. If he was crazy he might make mistakes but Bh'lear is perfectly sane, that's what makes him so dangerous."

"N no, not Bh'lear, but Belthazor."

Pru threw her hands up in the air and dropped heavily into the nearest chair. "Great the one Demon that we have managed to avoid meeting in a dark alley and we have to work with the guy." She asked. "he is a guy?" Pru had sudden visions of working with one of the Demons that made Frankenstein look like a pin up.

Karl shifted uncomfortably. "Yes he is male, and just as dangerous as Bh'lear, if not more so. All I can say is that I am sorry, if there was another way, I would have spared you this, but this is that important. I think I should tell you about the Kron and Tr'io, you see it won't be in your Book of Shadows. The last time it was invoked was in the eleventh century, and the time before that in the Dark Ages." He added "there was a reason they called it the Dark Ages and the Tri'io was that reason."

What followed was a lecture on Tr'io history and legend, and that did nothing to reassure the sisters.

It had taken the sisters most of the next day to prepare the front room for the arrival of their Demon partner. They had argued long and hard. There were two ways they could play it, put wards around the house and make him come through the front door, or summon him and show him from the start who had the power.

Their plan was simple. Belthazor was due to arrive at midnight, they would summon him at a quarter too the Witching hour. But to be on the safe side they would make sure that they could handle him. Phoebe the youngest of the sisters, arrived out of breath, and thrust the two bottles of pure mineral water into Piper's hand. "I thought it best to get 100% pure if we're going to be dealing with a Arch Demon like Belthazor. Have you read up on him?" She gave a shudder, "and I thought that Bh'lear was bad enough," she paused for breath. "You know he's a Witch killer." Phoebe shivered and pulled her jacket a little tighter around her.

Pru looked up from the containment circle she was making. "It could have been worse it could have been Bh'lear. Remember him?"

For a moment Piper paused in her preparations, "Sure, face like an angel and a body to die for, how he got into those leathers…"

"Piper!" Pru snapped her name, bringing her sister back to the present.

"Okay, okay, he was evil, but I certainly would not have thrown him out of bed on a cold night." Seeing her sister's expression she added, "okay, okay, back to the potion."

Piper's mood sobered as she mixed the potion quickly but calmly, and prayed it would work, with Arch Demon's you never knew. What could stop the lower level Demons in their tracks the upper level Demons could just walk through without even breaking sweat. If Belthazor was hostile then they would only get one chance to take him down. Only when she was ready did she pour the potion into the bottle, pressed the stopper down then filled another for Pru and finally one for Phoebe. If Belthazor twitched the wrong way they would be prepared.

The Book of Shadows, the all powerful family spell book was brought down to the living room, and reverently opened to the Belthazor summoning page, the picture that stared them back was of a large black and red Demon. Now was the time to bring Belthazor forth.

Together the sisters began to chant.

The voice came from behind them before they could finish the first phrase. "You called ladies?"

It had a pleasant tone, not what they expected, the girls spun around hands held ready to defend. What they saw was no red and black monster as featured in the book, but a young man in his early thirties, with dark brooding good looks, dressed all in black. There was a curl to his lips that made the smile chilling, he knew he had power and was not fazed at all by the fact that he was facing the Charmed ones.

His arms were crossed and he was leaned against the doorjamb. He pushed himself upright, and walked in, "nice containment circle, but no prize."

"Belthazor?" It had to be but Pru wanted to make sure.

"At your service," he gave a slight bow of the head, but his eyes never left them. During the 239 years since his birth Belthazor had learned to recognize fear, and he could smell it in that small room. It came off the girls in waves, but at the same time they were standing up to him. It amused him to think that they thought they could actually vanquish him.

His gaze drifted over each of the sisters in turn. One and only one would be his partner in the Tr'io, but the fickle Fates had given him nothing but a vague dream to go on, and it troubled him that it had plagued him since the Source had issued the Kron. These were Witches. He killed Witches, and he would destroy these three once the Tr'io was over, but he had the lurking feeling that the Tr'io was going to change his very existence. and perhaps even bring about his own death. Few Demons survived the Tr'io lethal decree.

Belthazor moved his hand and a fire ball appeared. "Well, ladies are we going to talk or are you going to try to use those potions. The Kron is based on trust, remember."

Phoebe, took a step forward ignoring Pru's warning. "You want trust Belthazor you put that fireball down mister, and we'll put the potions down. But you first, or are you scared of three Witches." Phoebe tried to keep her nerves under control. She was not going to let him see how scared she was so she met his gaze levelly, then she saw the smile change slightly, and realized with a start that he was actually amused at her and that only made her mad.

When she moved she didn't telegraph the kick, it took Belthazor in the hand so that the fireball went flying backward. The second kick he blocked, "Piper, Pru keep out of this."

"Full of surprises aren't you." His body language showed that he was no novice in the martial arts. They faced off at each other.

"Now I can spend the night kicking your ass, or you can cut the macho BS and sit down and talk."

"I think I am going to like working with you." Belthazor grinned and there was a flash of something in his eyes, a very basic and primal emotion a power that seemed to arch between them. Phoebe felt as if her stomach had dropped. She had not felt something like that for a long time. Reaching slowly into her pocket, she brought out the potion, then not turning her back on him, put a hand out for the other bottles. This was trust. She held them out and watched him pull back, his eyes flicking from her to the bottles. Carefully she placed them on the floor then stepped back.

The fireball formed and was thrown so fast that the sister's didn't have a chance to register it, before the potion was boiled in the Demonic flames, leaving only a scorch mark on the floor.

Some how Phoebe got the feeling the Tr'io was going to be hard on the fixtures and fittings.

Winchester Mansions

Across the city a group of six young women had been drawn together, by the need to make magic.

They gathered around the drawing on the floor, the candles making up the pattern. Kathy Harris, was nervously fingering the piece of paper, "you sure about this Cassie? I mean surely if it could have been done, they, you know, the Charmed ones, would have done it."

"You and your Charmed ones. They are the old, we are the new. They fight one Demon at a time, one small victory against evil. We can destroy all of the Demons in one fell swoop. And you know how? Simple biology. Then you'll see whom the Elders will favor. First we need to bring forth a Demon, after all it's no good if it's not going to work, something small, ugly and that no one will miss."

Kathy still was not sure, what had sounded like a good idea over coffee was now forgotten.

They formed a circle and began to chant, for a moment nothing happened, then with a sputter a gnome like creature appeared. It spat, its long claws slashing, making them back up, then Kathy threw the potion at it. The circle held the Demon, and the green liquid was absorbed into the skin, First it screamed then its claws began slashing at its own skin as if trying to carve the liquid off its body.

It was with growing horror the Kathy watched the creature die, but what horrified her more was the look on Cassie's face… it was pleasure, pure pleasure at seeing the Demon die, and knowing that their potion had done it.

Speaking out loud Cassie said, "Now we are ready to set it loose on the world." Raising her wine glass up, she clicked it against her friend's glasses. "Confusion to the enemy and death to the Demons."

Halliwell Manor 1st July 2005

The last two months had been more than interesting for the Charmed Ones, they had managed to save several innocents, so it was business as usual. But to their surprise Belthazor had taken out some of the Demon's that had been threatening them. He had refused to talk about it just muttering something about the nature of the beast, an offhanded reference to the Tr'io. It was also during that time that they had found out almost by accident that Belthazor was going by the human name of Cole Turner, and was in fact part human.

Cole Turner, aka Belthazor was leaning over Phoebe's shoulder as she surfed the internet,on her laptop, and she was very aware of his body. Against all the odds, after all this was an Arch Demon, she felt herself pushing back slightly against him. His hand moved across the keyboard and clicked a couple of keys his fingers brushing the back of her hand.

Just then Phoebe heard the front door open with a bang, and Pru calling her. Quickly she slide out from under Cole, "Can you continue the search? I'll be back in a minute." She tried to get her breathing back under control.

Pru was stood in the kitchen with two young girls, who were 15 years old if a day. She wasted no time in filling her sister in about the trouble the innocents were in. The young girls had been chased by a Demon, a particularly nasty one. With luck they had been able to vanquish it only to find that more of them had appeared and even now they were starting to mass around the house. Keeping the girls in the manor was going to make them sitting targets.

Piper had been quiet, lost in thought, "Well the girls could go with our Whitelighter."

"Our what!" Pru and Phoebe had blurted it out almost together, and looked at her as if she was out of her mind.

"You know," Piper said with a little more force, "Cole our Whitelighter he could orb them away from the house, and keep them safe until we can work out a way of settling this problem." She paused and looked from Pru to Phoebe. There was no way she was going to do this particular chore. "Perhaps one of you could tell him."

Phoebe raised her hand "I'll do it, just get the fire bucket ready." She had decided that since she seemed to get on better with Cole she should be the one to break the news to him. It was better to take a slightly looping approach to telling him. Getting his attention was easy, a little too easy, he was right in her face, his body nearly touching her the moment she had said his name. She had placed a hand flat against his chest and stepped back. She found she could breath a bit better now. She quickly launched into explaining about the girls then began to read the riot act to him.

"So no fire pits okay, no matter how much they bug you, and…" she paused not sure how to phrase the next bit, "try not to vanquish anyone in front of them."

Phoebe eyed the door with a longing, now came the hardest bit, he was going to vent, and she could see there was going to be scorch marks on the wall very soon, because he was going to go ballistic. The next bit came out with a rush.

"And I, er, we, told them you were a Whitelighter."

"What did you say?" Cole's voice had gone to artic cold, and he was looming over her right in her face as he closed the little distance that parted them.

She swallowed hard, "er… I said a Whitelighter." Phoebe almost whispered softly.

"A W H I T E L I G H T E R!" Cole exploded angry in an instant. "A pussy footing do gooder?"

The Demon that shimmered in to attack the Charmed Ones at that moment didn't stand a chance. Cole's fireball vanquished the Demon and he had not even given it his full attention.

Piper put her head around the door, as an energy ball slammed into the woodwork and she pulled back, forcing a smile at Pru. "Umm, it's going better than I thought it would."

Cole was venting and there was nothing that was going to stop him.

So Phoebe did the only thing that she could think of to calm him down. She told herself it was for the good of the innocents and nothing more, it would be unexpected, a good idea. Grabbing him by the front of his jacket, she pulled his head down and kissed him.

It stopped him dead in his tracks, finding himself suddenly lip locked with a Witch, a Witch that he had begun to consider his partner.

If Phoebe had thought it was going to be a quick distraction she had another think coming, and she found herself pulled up on her toes in strong arms, as he put a passion in the kiss that made her light headed.

It was with reluctance that she pushed against his chest and pulled back. When he reached out to touch her face she eased back slightly, but caught his hand before he could retreat back in himself. This was not a rejection, she had liked the kiss, and it was going to be interesting.

"Later Cole, I promise, but first the children, they're being chased by high level Demons. What did you expect us to tell them? My friend here is the only one with the fire power to protect you." She put her hand on his shoulder, as she spoke and allowed his arm to go around her waist, "But he's a Demon, a good Demon. I don't want them frightened."

She saw the tilt of his head he was about to suggest something she cut in quickly, "two days at the most Cole."

"Okay," he gave in, but still needed to warn her. "The first person to make a comment and I will fry them." She knew he was not joking. Phoebe moved her hand gently on his arm, soothing him; the tension began to ease out of the tall Demon.

Outside the room, Pru exchanged a look with Piper, it was now or never, with a hand on both girls, she steered them in. Keeping her voice as normal as she could she announced, "Kelly, Sam this is…," she paused and took a breath, "Cole, our Whitelighter, he's like a guardian, he protects innocents. And he's going to look after you. Aren't you?" She added pointedly at him.

Before he could answer the taller of the two girls, the one with the light colored hair exclaimed, "He's a Whitelighter?" Her face showing her surprise. All you had to do was look at him to see the dark karma that was around him, and the blood red swirls of violence that mixed in with it. If he was a Whitelighter, then they had recruitment problems. She could not believe that the Charmed ones would have tried that lie.

Phoebe's elbow connected with Cole's side and he tried a smile that would have sent most people running for the hills, which earned him another elbow.

He tried for sincerity. "Sure kid, all of the above," Cole answered.

Piper said breezily, "See, one big happy family." If looks could have killed, the Power of Three would have ended then and there.

Cascade Washington USA 25th July 2005

Blair was walking down the sidewalk, a battered brown backpack bouncing against his shoulders, as he tracked his next victim, a low level Demon that had brought too much publicity with his ritual killings. Now it was his time to die.

He stopped in his tracks as a blue and white classic truck pulled up outside of the Cascade PD. It was the man who jumped out that had him rooted to the spot, James Ellison, his Sentinel. Once the shock had worn off, he started forward, his face animated. //His Sentinel. It had taken eighty years to the day for James to return to him, destiny had decreed therefore that they would be one.// Then Blair's face hardened as he saw a woman come out of the building. She was medium tall with red hair, and was immediately in his Sentinel's face, her hand brushing over his arm. Blair flexed his fingers, the fireball almost formed in his hand, then as quickly as it started, it was gone. He now had the location where his Sentinel worked, the way James had entered the police station showed he had to be a cop.

Blair took his cell phone out and dialed. "James Ellison please."

There was a long pause, then just when he was giving up there was the click of a call being put through, then there was the voice he remembered.

"Ellison."

Blair clicked the phone off, he had his answer, and he looked up at the building and smiled broadly, then he shimmered. He had a job to do, and a rogue Demon to kill.

Blair had found the address easily. The fact the Loft as it was called had wards on it meant nothing to him, as an Arch Demon, he felt the resistance as he passed through them and nothing more. The wards were good against common and garden Demons, but not him, but that was not important. The first thing he would do once he moved in was make sure they had better protection. No one would shimmer into his home.

The Arch Demon wandered around the Loft, a modest kitchen, and a small storage room, that would make him a nice bedroom, small but nice, and with a window into the interior of the room. He ran a hand over the lukewarm radiator, with the heating fixed it would be quite snug in here. Curiosity got the best of him, and he trailed off to the upstairs bedroom, picking up pictures on the way. Once he had seen the bedroom he decided that James lived alone, his Sentinel was not married or living with someone, good, it would be better this way.

Blair tilted his head to one side, his bookcase would fit along that wall, and the tribal masks would look well there and there.

Now all he had to do was convince one mortal, latent Sentinel that he would be good for him. Blair's anger flared, the red haired woman was a possible rival, and he could feel the vibes coming off her. If she thought she could steal what was his she was seriously mistaken. It was then he heard the front door open and close, and Blair shimmered.

Jim Ellison had entered the loft, the moment the door was closed behind him, he spun around fast. He had sensed the displacement of air, the slight change in temperature that only a Sentinel could detect.

A young man was leaning against the kitchen counter, a gun held in his hand.

"Hi James." His voice was bright and breezy, the tone almost seductive.

Jim's gaze swept the man up and down; he was smaller built, around 5 feet 7 or 8, compact, with long dark curly hair that hung down to his shoulders. He was good looking, in his early twenties, his eyes bright; his clothing was all black leather, with a flowing black shirt.

The Sentinel inhaled and caught the scent of the younger man and immediately dialed his senses down ruthlessly. He was unwilling to risk a Guide catching him, but he could not get over the fact that he had seen the kid before.

Jim's tone was sarcastic as he asked, "I know who I am, so why not tell me who you are, or do you always invade people's homes?"

The young man grinned, "I am your Guide James, I know this is kind of unusual, but," he shrugged, "I am not the patient type, and I know that I can be *really* good for you." His voice had dropped to a caress.

"R I G H T." Jim drew the word out slowly.

The gun lifted and the younger man shook his head "No James, it's not going down that way, I want you to remove your service weapon and place it on the floor, and then kick it towards me. I wouldn't want our relationship to get off to a bad start with me having to shoot you."

He added quickly, "with you thumb and forefinger."

Only when the gun was put down did the younger man relax.

"If you think we're going to bond Guide you have another think coming, I don't want a Guide and certainly not one that holds me at gun point."

"Look James…"

"The name is Jim." The Sentinel corrected.

"Sorry James, I am a Guide. We're made for each other, I can do things for you that those others can't. You need a Guide and a partner. I can protect your back, be whatever you want."

"Then take a number and join the back of the queue."

"Fuck the queue," the young man exploded. "You know as well as I do, there are 10 Guides for every Sentinel, and you're a five sensor, you have to be, you were before." Blair shrugged as he saw the look on the older man's face. "Do you want a Guide that can help you, or some pale faced overbred bitch that will faint the first time she sees a corpse?"

Jim nodded slowly "you make sense kid."

"Knew you would understand, I am Blair."

"Blair," The Sentinel said the name slowly, then his hand flashed round, with an underhanded throw the white energy ball went straight at the would-be Guide. It exploded against the wall as the kid ducked, the gun forgotten. Blair was holding a fireball in his hand, ready to throw it.

Jim had his answer; in a fight Blair would never go for a gun, he would rely on his powers, which opened up a whole new kettle of fish. Who would have thought that one of them would have the power of being a Guide.

"Now that we're on even footing, why don't you tell me just who you really are."

Jim could not get over the feeling that he had met this guy before.

Blair's eyes had opened wide. He had thought that this was his James reborn, a latent Sentinel, a mortal, and now he had his answer, with the white fireball. This was a Silver Blade, a warrior for the light. But in that moment of realization he knew that he would not give up, he would still have his Sentinel no matter what.

The next second he had shimmered out of the loft.

Swearing under his breath, Jim began to work on increasing his wards, he would place the man if it were the last thing he would do, because he got the feeling it was something he needed to know.

Later that day. Captain Simon Banks of Major Crime looked across the Bull Pen and shook his head, James Ellison was venting, and by the look at it Rafe was in danger of being swept away in the tide. The man had a temper that should be a registered weapon, made worse by the fact that he was the department Sentinel.

If twenty years ago someone would have said that magic was not just in fairy tales but was a real force most would have laughed their heads off, but the world had changed. For good or evil, the jury was still out on that one, but what Simon did know was that Cascade was a magnet for every psycho, crazed Wizard and Demon on the seaboard, and they needed every advantage they could get to fight them.

So the Grand Council of Cascade had summoned up the Sentinels. He had never really been sure what they were, human sure, but there was something else in them. The way they could orb into existence, and trade fireballs with the worst of the Demons. At the same time they had all the faults of the human race, and if James Ellison was anything to go by, a temper that could cook you faster than a fireball.

The rules of the Cascade PD were simple, no shimmering, no fireballs inside the police station or when working, unless the other side started it first.

Even so Simon was all too aware that the public out there was nervous about the supernatural forces, but the city was too prosperous to leave. So people equipped themselves the best they could, and everyone bought ward spells along with their ordinary insurance policy.

Ellison had been on edge ever since he had come in to work, and he'd had to pull the man into his office and had finally gotten the story from the almost morose Sentinel.

Jim shrugged. "So he shimmered out of the loft."

"Could you follow him?"

"No, but I can bet it's to a hotter climate." He put in sagely.

Jim had then gotten to his feet, and headed back out to work leaving a thoughtful Simon Banks behind.

Simon came back to the present, his smile broadening as he saw his son Daryl come into the office. His marriage had failed but he could not see it as a total failure as it had given him his son.

However Daryl was at that age, where all kids wanted to do was push the barriers as far and as fast as they could. He knew his son was going to be angry because the meeting with the Commissioner had been moved forward and the teen would have to wait, but Simon had Death Blow 2023 for him to play with on the computer. He also hoped that the object he had been given by his grandfather all those years ago would help with Daryl's show and tell at school and would make up for the delay.

Halfway across the room Daryl had paused and was looking at James Ellison, Simon was out the office and quickly by his son's side, Jim was not in the mood to be social at the moment, and while he knew Jim would never hurt his son, he could see that the other man was on edge, and it was getting worse by the day.

The word was that Ellison needed to undergo the Rites of Joining with his Guide, and until he did, the man was going to get more and more lethal, as his need to join became keener. So far any attempt to encourage him to Join had failed, he was looking for someone, but who was a sore point.

Before Simon could reach his son, the alarm went off. Jim clasped his hands to his head as he tried to fight against the pain and the threatened zone out. Ruthlessly he dialed his sense of hearing down, as he staggered to his feet and out from behind his desk. Everyone knew what that alarm was. An unauthorized shimmer into the PD, and that had to be a hostile. No police officer would every break the rule.

For a moment there was nothing then the next set of alarms went off. Whoever it was had been in personnel and now had moved to floor seven, Major Crimes. Simon pulled Daryl into his office, as the newcomer appeared.

Jim was ready to take him down; an energy ball in his hand.

"Hi," said the young man, then looked around himself, "Oops, I take it you don't like shimmering. Sorry about that."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jim growled and crossed his arms, the energy ball hovering near his shoulder, his eyes running over the other man. First the Loft and now the Bull Pen.

"The Council sent me."

Jim rolled his eyes. "The Council," he said, than breathed, "just what I need."

"Sure man, they said you need a Guide and that's me." The young man was almost cheerful about it, ignoring the killer looks that Ellison was shooting at him now.

"I don't need a Guide, we have been through that before, remember." With the tip of his finger he spun the hovering fireball round, as a none too discreet warning.

"Yeah, well the Council is telling me different, I am here to keep your ass out of the sling, so live with it." The last part was said with a bite that even Simon could approve of.

The Captain waited for volcano Ellison to vent, but to his surprise the man took several deep breaths. Then Simon decided that this was worse, Jim was going for the slow burn.

"I am Blair Sandburg." He took a step forward and stuck his hand out. Simon closed the distance between them and shook hands. Blair turned to Jim and offered his hand, but it just hung in empty air, the older man making no attempt to take it. With a shrug Blair said. "Mind getting rid of it," he nodded towards the fireball, "it kind of makes me nervous, like you wanted to fry me."

"Wouldn't be a bad idea." Jim sounded almost as if he was considering it.

Blair grinned, "Don't worry big guy, I'll grow on you." He patted the Sentinels shoulder affectionately.

The rest of the Bull Pen ducked. Touching Ellison was not a good idea. It was rumored that it was a quick way to lose body parts, but Sandburg just seemed to carry on as if the Sentinel would not hurt him.

Simon decided it was time that the situation be defused and quickly.

"Captain," Simon made the point, "Simon Banks, I think we should talk Mister Sandburg. Jim join us."

The Sentinel fell in behind them, as Simon chatted Jim slowly opened up his senses and fixed them on the newcomer. His face-hardened as he took in the information he was receiving from his senses.

"Sandburg."

Blair turned and was hit by the energy bolt; the white light threw him backwards, he collided with one of the chairs and took it with him as he crashed to the floor. He rolled over, the pain burned through him.

"Ellison, what the hell!" Simon demanded.

"Thought I remembered you Sandburg, and I am not just talking about your stunt earlier in the loft. It was Egypt, in 1923. What's a mercenary Demon like you doing in Cascade?" This time the energy ball hovered in Jim's hand; the flames were like ice shards.

Slowly Blair rolled onto his knees, "Check the score card Ellison, I am on your side now."

"Color me surprised Demon," the sarcasm rolled off his tongue.

The energy ball hit the floor near to the younger man, and he only just pulled away from the burst. With a wave of the hand, the fire was extinguished leaving only a scorch mark.

"The next one Sandburg will burn you, so start talking, and keep your hands where I can see them. Start with Egypt 1923."

Blair could see that he was not going to get out of the office without answering. "Okay, okay, you were my way into the excavation. I needed to get there. The boss had a job for me, to prevent a high-level Demon escaping from the tomb."

"You killed them all, they were my friends Sandburg." Jim's voice dropped to a growl.

"No! I arrived just as they broke through, it released the Demon. Kaaper. He had been a high priest and lector during the fifth dynasty. The tomb was his attempt to avoid destruction by the boss. When Dawn Parker breeched the tomb it happened too fast for me to stop it. Kaaper escaped, and with each person he killed he gained more power. I traded fireballs with him, but I only just managed to shimmer out of the way. A fireball caught me in the back, and it was only because the shimmer dissipated the force that I survived. As it was I didn't shimmer straight for a year." Blair gave a shrug, then his face became sober, as he continued " I came back for you. You have to know that James, I came back but you had been killed protecting Dawn Parker. I had failed my Sentinel. Kaaper killed everyone he could find, his rage after thousands of years was horrifying."

Simon heard the cracking in the younger man's voice, and was surprised by the depth of emotions in the Demon. Then he saw Blair put a hand out to lay it on Jim's arm, as if needing the connection, but it dropped away without making contact, and instead he pushed his hair back from his face in an almost nervous gesture. "It's too early big guy, I know that, but we are destined to be Sentinel and Guide, and you will see that."

Jim ignored him and asked, "What happened then?" For some reason he could not understand the Demon's grief at his death, it had touched something in him.

"Kaaper was unable to gain his full power, both of the amulets that he used to channel his powers had been stolen by grave robbers. He has been looking for them ever since, and he will come to Cascade because the time is now right, he needs to find them and we have to get to him first."

"And for that we need an Arch Demon." Jim put in as he remembered one of the lectures he had been given on the five Arch Demons of the Source of All Evil, and with a jolt he knew exactly which one was standing in front of him now. The fact he had a fire throwing ability that was an upper Demonic skill gave him a name to go with the almost angelic face that was looking at him with such need.

Simon's eyebrows went up, "Arch Demon, him?"

"Sandburg here is a mercenary Arch Demon like I said. I would not bother you with his real name."

"Him?" Simon allowed the surprise to show in his voice as he viewed the young man with something of disbelief, what he saw he could not match with what he was hearing.

"Sandburg has been the personal assassin and enforcer for his side for the last what… 112 years."

Blair moved his hand in a rocking motion, as he said, "Actually I am 120, but near enough for you, I am impressed a Silver Blade would know that much."

Jim's smile if anything, got colder. "Sure kid, I am a Silver Blade and you're a Merc. But even you would not be taking the Council's name in vain so what are you doing here?"

Blair slowly dug his hand in his pocket and brought out an envelope, and held it out towards Simon. Only Jim Ellison reached for it first, his hand making a brief sweep over it before he took it.

"You think I would booby trap it?"

"Sure, this from the Demon that booby trapped Santa's sleigh one year, of course I do."

"Santa's Sleigh," Simon said with disbelief as he dropped into the chair, "you have to be kidding."

Jim looked up, "Not that Santa Simon, Senator MacKay, you know the one that…"

"Oh him, you had me worried there for a moment," Simon put in quickly.

"I just fried his cookies." Blair put in matter of factly.

Jim Ellison shook his head slowly, "Quit it Sandburg, and with respect Sir, don't play with the Demon, he'll just screw with your head." Even as he spoke Jim was reading the paper, holding it up to the light he saw the watermark.

The real thing, he crossed to the cabinet and took out the vial of holy water that Simon kept there, and went back to the table, noticing with some satisfaction that Blair moved back as if worried that the smallest amount would touch him.

One drop on the letter and the smoke rolled off it like mist.

"Real thing," he confirmed "according to this the Council have called a Tr'io decree, and believe me that is a real bastard to beat." Jim muttered in disgust. They were considered a last resort, and only got used in exceptional circumstances, which could only mean trouble.

"Yeah the last one was in 1066, and look how that all ended," Blair didn't sound too happy to be tied to the document even if it would give him what he wanted, his own Sentinel. "It seems that the only way Kaaper can be destroyed is by the hands of a Tr'io pairing, so it's you and me big guy, we fit the bill."

Simon was looking from one man to the other, finally putting into words what he was thinking, "You mean this is Good and Evil working together. Jim that can't be right. Surely nothing can justify that happening, you spend all your life fighting evil in human or Demonic form, and they want you to work with one. It just doesn't make sense"

Jim shook his head, "Some times in the past situations have arisen that have sanctioned the joining of Good and Evil, for the common good. After all if the world ends no one wins. Of course, not everyone is pleased to see it, and there will be Silver Blades that will want to kill Blair because of who and what he is. Once we accept the Tr'io Blair should be safe, it's like a cosmic get out of jail free card, but in reality the risk is still there, just as some Demons will still hunt me out. But we have no choice, they would only evoke the Tr'io if it was a grave situation."

Blair pulled over a chair and sat down, "Okay, take a seat gentlemen, and I'll have a cup of that coffee Captain, black, and light on the sugar." He totally ignored Simon and just watched his Sentinel. His Sentinel… the words were savored, he had waited 199 years to find him.

Jim loomed over him, caught him by the shoulder and hauled him to his feet. "Listen Sandburg, you might be an Arch Demon, but here you're working with me, so keep a civil tongue in your head, or ship out. Simon is our Captain, and you treat him with respect. He's not a waiter, you want coffee you go and get it yourself."

"Jeeze man, chill out," he pushed Jim away from him and straightened his jacket with a flick of his hand. "But if he's important to you, then so be it James." He walked over and helped himself to the coffee savoring the raw kick of the caffeine.

Simon viewed him with disgust, "I can just understand about the Tr'io but Jim, HIM?" He trailed off in disbelief as he saw the Demon wandering around his office, his beloved Jags coffee mug in his hand, picking up and examining the pictures on the wall and shelf.

Blair answered without turning around as he tried to keep his anger under control. If he fire balled the Captain his Sentinel would not like it, so he resigned himself to the man's negative attitude. "James needs me because the Sentinel needs his Guide. I did not wait through time for him just to have another Guide take him away from me. I have first call on him, he is mine." The last part was said with force as he spun round, and in a heartbeat was within a foot of the taller Sentinel.

This time Ellison didn't pull back from him, and Simon watched as Jim lifted a hand to touch the Guide, that was when he cut in, frightened that somehow if Jim touched Blair now, he would lose him to the Demon. The Jim seemed almost mesmerized by him.

"Jim." The Captain tried to get the Sentinel's attention and break the spell. But he leaned forward; the pupils of his eyes had flared and his mouth opened slightly as he prepared to inhale the scent of his Guide. Simon caught the Jim's arm and wrenched him away from the Demon Guide. This was going too far too damn quickly. "Back off Demon." He sent Blair reeling. And then shook Jim, "Come on Jim, you're zoning, don't do this Ellison." His hand lashed out and caught the sentinel across the face.

Jim jolted by the blow took a deep staggering breath, "What the hell?"

"Exactly," Simon said, glaring at Blair. "You mister, keep your distance, and Jim if you're ready let's get back to business."

Once he had gauged things were getting back to normal, well as normal as it ever would in their universe, Simon asked, "So to recap, the Council and the Source have agreed that you're working together and so you're it."

Jim massaged his temple as he tried to get his mind back together and cursed, how the hell could he have been so sloppy. He had allowed Blair's scent and the seductive pull of the Guide to nearly take him where he didn't want to go. He had not resisted bonding with a mortal or one of his own side, only to fall prey to a Demon, and that one in particular. Jim pulled himself upright, and then stabbed Blair in the chest with his finger, "We might be working together but you're going to have some ground rules. You fry the wrong person and I will personally barbeque your ass Demon."

Blair smiled and lifted his hand in a mock scout salute, "Scout's honor," the Demon felt as if a weight had lifted from him. His Sentinel had on some level accepted him. Okay it was as a temporary Guide, but that was only down to a misunderstanding on the Sentinel's side, Blair knew it was for keeps. The near bonding had been more than he could ever have wished for at this early stage, and once he had moved in there was no way that James could avoid them bonding at some point. What he could offer, the Sentinel could only get from a Guide.

Simon coughed, the interaction between the two men, made him uncomfortable. "Can we get back to the present gentlemen, how do we destroy this Kaaper?"

"What?" Blair shook his head as if it was the most stupid thing he had ever heard, "Don't you get it, if it was that simple all I would have to do was wait for him and then incinerate the whole building and him in it."

"There is always a catch Simon, *they* have to have it that way. So why don't you tell me what the catch is Chief."

Blair grinned, his Sentinel was on the ball, "To destroy the amulets and the focus of his power, we have to wait until we have both of them, and then get them and him to the White Chapel of Senusnet 1 big guy. It's the only way to destroy him, if he is allowed to get the amulets and it's the time of the full moon, then he can rise again and his powers would make it nearly impossible to kill him. Then we would have a war on our hands, and believe me you don't want that. We have to destroy him before the full moon."

"What if he tries the ceremony before then?"

"Then his power is weakened, and he will regain it fully at the whole moon. We would have to take that as a window of opportunity to kill him, but it would be harder.

Jim was thoughtful, "well at least the White Chapel isn't in Cascade."

Blair continued over Jim, "It will be. The White Chapel was used as a way station of the gods. A boat taking the soul would stop there on the way to the next life, and it was there that the people could ask Beset's advice and ask him to intercede for them with Ra. Later the Chapel was dismantled and used as filler for another tomb; it's only just been found and brought to Cascade. It' will be the first time its ever been displayed, and it opens the day after a full moon. Kaaper has waited many life times for this."

"What sort of Demon is he?" Simon picked up the Black book, a Demon identification manual."

"Well in Kaaper's instance he takes over a host body. Normally he has no form of his own, he takes and uses each body then discards it, but death follows swiftly as he has burned up the host's life force." Blair put in.

"So he would have selected a host already?" Simon asked.

"Possibly. But what we know is that we have a month and that is all to find him..." Blair paused, "or her," the younger man amended, "Most are male or female based, but to hide the shapeless one can cross the gender so remember that, Kaaper in his former life was male, but in Cascade he could be a woman."

"So what are you waiting for, you have amulets and a Demon to find."

Jim jerked his thumb towards the doorway.

The Captain could have sworn that the Demon was bouncing and beaming happily as he followed Ellison out, chattering a mile a minute, the look Jim was giving him was one of total disbelief, then he said, "Now I know how you killed your victims, you talked them to death."

Blair patted his back, "I'll grow on you."

But behind the banter, they both knew they had only four weeks to find Kaaper and lay the seeds of his destruction.

The other detectives had been watching what was going on through the window to Captain Bank's office.

Rafe picked up the file, and leaned into H. Brown his partner, "Well what do you think he is?"

"Silver Blades Orb, Warlocks blink, and Demons shimmer, so that makes him a Demon, you saw the way the air folded up on itself, that was a 100 percent Demonic shimmer."

"So what the hell is happening, a Silver Blade and a Demon working together, this stinks."

Rafe hurriedly looked away as Jim fixed him with a look that made him swallow.

Cassie Wells gave a quick look at herself in the mirror and smiled, she had ambitions to be more than a forensic officer, and she believed that she had the makings to be a police officer. Her asthma had ruled out that career. Also her magic was weak, but she had qualified as a Techno-Witch whose skills were based in the science of magic not on pure magic.

Jim Ellison needed a Guide and she believed she could do that; she had some abilities and a little could go a long way. Ellison was the best police officer on the force and a Silver Blade, and she only wanted the best.

Coming into the Bullpen she saw a young man standing with Jim. "Who is that?" She asked Captain Bank's secretary Rhonda, who knew everyone and everything that was going on in the Bullpen.

"Blair Sandburg. I'm just processing his Observer status paper work. He's going to be riding along with Jim, and he's also going to be acting as his Guide."

Cassie's lips tightened, "That's what he thinks." A little magic would soon scare him off. She put a hand into her pocket and fingered one of the glass spheres, a little flash and thunder to get rid of him.

Blair has seen the woman from the street enter, and moved around the table to cut her off.

Cassie brought her hand down hard and the sphere smashed at his feet, if she expected him to jump back she was sadly mistaken.

Blair waved the smoke away. He brought his hand up and a fireball appeared, his eyes never left her face as he smiled. "Now it's my turn," as his hand lashed down his wrist was caught and Jim hissed, "Rule number one, no toasting your co-workers."

For a moment they locked eyes, and then the fireball vanished. Jim placed his other hand on Blair's shoulder and turned him to face Cassie.

"Cassie Wells, this is Blair Sandburg, he's working a case with me."

"I am James' Guide." Blair put in, making his point. He saw the expression on her face. She tried to hide it, but wasn't quick enough.

Cassie waited for Jim to correct the little squirt, but he didn't, and her heart plunged down into her stomach. Surely Jim would not want him. All she had to do was prove to the Sentinel that she was more use than him. She was not going to give in easily. So she took a deep breath, "Congratulation on your joining."

"We haven't joined," Jim had heard her heartbeat increase when Blair had called himself his Guide, now it calmed when he said they hadn't Joined. He never knew why he added "yet," but he did. He felt the tension in Blair's body ease.

If a white lie would keep the Demon from frying the work force then it was worth it.

"You wanted to see me Cassie?"

"The Foreman Case, we got the DNA results back, it's his blood on the knife, he killed her, well done Jim. And thanks for giving me the credit."

"You deserved it. I have to go now, come on Blair." He tugged on the younger man's arm. Leaving Cassie standing by his desk, her anger building as she watched them leave.

Evening had fallen across the city. Picking up her drink, Cassie returned to her computer and switched it on, the broadband Internet connecting automatically. She logged into the coven, where she was one of eight Techno-Witches. She searched through her messages, then logged out. She was having trouble concentrating, and felt sick to her stomach when she thought of Blair Sandburg.

It hadn't taken long for the story to get on the grapevine. It was too good to miss, a Demon and a Silver Blade working together. She knew that she was meant to get Jim Ellison, and this Demon freak was not going to make her miss out. The anger swirled around inside of her as she remembered the fiasco of her last visit to San Francisco.

Two Weeks ago Cassie had been born and bred in the city, and when her fledgling ability had been detected her mother had enrolled her in one of the many private schools that trained witches, but after 6 months she had been removed when it was discovered her powers were at best low grade. Not enough magic to light a light bulb was one of the kinder things that the young Cassie had had to listen too.

Then she had discovered the world of Techno-Witches. By using science they had been able to boost their own powers, using science to substitute for pure magic.

The first coven she had approached had turned her down, then she had met up with a coven of young Witches, and they had started to look at the way they could help rid the world of Demons. Of course it was not easy with the Charmed One's in the same city, the three sisters were the most powerful of the elemental Witches, but Cassie had been confident that she could gain their respect.

When her attempts to get more involved in Police work had backfired, she had moved to Cascade, but still led the coven, and tonight she would prove that her plan would work. In her absence they had done squat to kill Demons, too frightened to implement 'the plan'.

They had trolled for Demons, using their powers and had found three that had been preying on the homeless, so Cassie and Kathy had volunteered to go out and try and take them down.

On the backseat under the blanket was her weapon of choice, a high-powered crossbow, the sports model, very accurate, and the bolts had been specially adapted by the Coven.

Each bolt, instead of being steel, had been made of wood and was carefully split down the length, a small chamber made, into which they had put the potion, sealing it with wax to hold it in place.

A potion to destroy a Demon, especially when you didn't know its name or type, was always difficult, so the coven had come up with a poison, it would sicken the Demon and allow the hunter to finish it with a incendiary device, a modern version of the Molotov cocktail.

Cassie had refined it even further. The potion was now in fact a virus. Once a Demon had been contaminated, it could be passed on to any others that Demon met, sentencing them all to a horrible death. Killing by science.

Kathy was sat in the passenger side of the car, a map open on her lap as she swung a crystal over the page trying to get a lock on them. The method either worked or was spectacularly wrong, Cassie just prayed that tonight it would work. The Demons were killing every three-day, and if they didn't stop them tonight another innocent person would die.

Kelly exchanged a look with Sam, as they watched their Whitelighter pacing the floor of the hotel room. Back and forward, and it didn't take a genius to realize that he was angry; it was in every move he made.

Finally he stopped and picked up his coat "I have to go out. You two stay put here. I have wards on the doors so nothing can come in, and if it does, use these potions," he added as he saw the looks on their faces, "its important," then he shimmered out of the room.

Kelly's pretty face took on a look of amusement as she got to her feet and quickly clasped hands with Sam. If they were fast enough they could follow his shimmer, even as they disappeared as the air folded back on itself she said. "Warlocks blink, Whitelighter's orb and Demons shimmer, and that girl was one first rate shimmer, who are they kidding."

Cassie was getting impatient, it was now 4:00 a.m. and nothing so far had happened, there was only one car in the lot and that had broken down and been left for pick up the next morning. Then near it the air folded back on it's self and the breath caught in her throat, there was no mistaking the man that had appeared.

She had seen him before when she had been working for the SFPD, Assistant District Attorney Cole Turner, he paused and looked around him, and then moved away from the car, bending he made some markings on the ground and then stepped back. He looked first into the night sky and then down, his hands opening then closing as if he were casting something to the ground. Nothing seemed to happen, and then with a swirl three Demons appeared from the air.

Cassie glanced across at Kathy, the other woman's mouth had dropped open, and it was the first time she had actually seen Demons. They looked so human; okay like the kind of men you would cross the road to avoid, in their grease leather jackets and biker boots, but still men.

Careful of the noise she eased the car door open and got out before reaching back and snagging the crossbow and bolts. She loaded them into the quick fire release and was ready. Kathy looked like a ghost but was game enough, clutching the incendiary devices. This was their moment of truth.

Peering around the corner of the waste containers Cassie held her hand back to keep Kathy behind her; she could barely hear what was being said. The Assistant District Attorney was talking to the man in the center, he towered over Cole Turner's six foot two by at least a couple of inches, and looked as if he could swat him like a fly.

The two other Demons that flanked him looked uncertain. One kept hopping from one foot to the other, why was he so scared of Cole Turner? Cassie cursed the fact that she could not hear enough of their conversation to understand what was being said.

But one word she did hear as the nervous Demon spat it, "Tr'io or not, you have to kill them." The other smaller Demon who to her looked like a crow on legs, nodded his head making his large nose look even more like a bird pecking for corn.

Whatever Cole said was lost as the middle Demon snapped, "Fuck the decree."

Then all hell was let loose. She watched open mouthed as Cole released a fireball straight at the larger Demon, it hit him at chest level, and with a scream he disappeared into flame. It stunned the remaining two Demons, but not long enough, and they retaliated with their own fire.

Cole threw himself to one side, rolling over his left shoulder and came up with another fireball, it just missed one of the Demons, then he gave a cry of pain as he was hit. The energy bolt had caught him as he powered back to his feet and the impact threw him 16 feet to land heavily face down.

The Demons spread out and began to move towards the fallen man. Just as they reached him he rolled onto his back and fire came from both hands. The nervous Demon shimmered as his partner was taken out. Slowly, his handsome face showing the pain he was in, Turner struggled to his feet, barely able to put any weight on his leg, and began to slowly limp towards the car.

Looking past him, Cassie saw the weirdest thing. It was not a shimmer since when did a shimmer have white sparking lights and it certainly was not an Orb, and two young children appeared. They could only have been about fifteen or sixteen, one had short jet black hair, the other long fair hair. They exchanged a look, and started towards the car. Turner hadn't seen them arrive.

Kelly Wyatt, pushed her long hair back from her face, they had come in together figuring that their joint shimmer and orb would throw off anyone who saw them. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest. This was not going to be easy, the Council had picked them because they thought they would create the least possibility of a time rift by coming back.

But looking at Uncle Cole now, she was not too sure. Aunty Pru had told them stories of just what Uncle Cole had been like in those days, mean, lean and ready to fry anyone that got in the way. He had been the Source of All Evil's enforcer and assassin with a liking for frying Witches. An Arch Demon with the high Demonic powers.

He had just been served with the Tr'io, which was the reason he was really pissed off.

Kelly glanced at her cousin, if it was weird to her, what could Samantha, Sam, be going through, facing down her own father. She just wished they had been able to talk to Aunty Phoebe and Uncle Cole before they left, but they had been on Tr'io business, a unique partnership of good and evil, or rather not so evil in Uncle Cole's case now. A partnership that was life long.

Now the two cousins had to walk the minefield. Sam could throw fire, but not that well. It took years to learn the art, but she could be trusted not to incinerate herself. Her own energy throwing was basic, which, facing the Demon Beltazor aka Uncle Cole or Dad, was going to do them as much good as a paper bag in a thunderstorm.

Keeping mental fingers crossed she said "Mister Turner." Then tried not to flinch.

Cole turned fast having to grab the side of the car to avoid falling, his other hand coming up, ready to deal with the new threat. He looked at them, then past them, quickly checking around him, clearly puzzled as to how the two girls had gotten there when he had left them at the hotel.

He focused on them and then frowned, his free hand starting to rise. He could feel the Demon in one of them and confusingly the Whitelighter in the other girl for the first time.

The dark haired girl smiled almost as if trying to reassure him, "Sorry Mister Turner but…" she never got any further as she saw his hand pull back and the glowing fireball snapping at them.

Kelly pushed Sam away from her as the fireball that Uncle Cole had thrown at them sizzled between them, they could feel the heat of it as it passed.

Cole dived to one side as he threw it, taking him clear of the fireballs that arched towards him from the newly arrived Demons. The nervous one was back with re-enforcements.

One of the fireballs hit the car full on, and the Jaguar XL exploded into flames as the gas tank was hit. Cole came up on his knees, the pain from his leg threatening to black him out as he threw two more fireballs, one from each hand, making the other Demons dive for cover. He powered up and caught the girls by their arms, his momentum and weight dragging them behind one of the concrete rubbish containers. They landed in a heavy pile as his leg gave way under him bringing them crashing down. Twisting he peered around the concrete block and fired another ball at them, then pulled back as a returned one went past him, but he had the satisfaction of taking out another one of the Demons.

That left two.

Sam looked around the block on the other side and swore.

"Your mother let you use language like that?"

She took a deep breath, "No Da... Mister Turner, sorry."

Kelly was sure that Uncle Cole was actually enjoying himself, as he let go another of the fireballs. Turning her head she saw one of the Demons shimmering in behind them and pulled Sam around as she threw a white energy bolt at him. The look on his face was priceless, it lasted only the split second before Sam's fireball took him out.

Cole's head snapped round, then he shrugged, never knowing how close he had come to getting fried.

Only the nervous Demon was left, he dropped his hands down.

"Belthazor come on, I never planned this. Look, I can go to the realms and you'll never see me again."

"This way is better," the next second he was engulfed in a fireball, and turned to ash.

Kelly let her breath go slowly, that had been close, now all they had to do...

She never got to finish the thought as Cassie stepped out. The Techno-Witch had heard the name and it was a chance to get one of the top Arch Demons.

"Cole Turner." The expression as he recognized the voice was pure surprise. What the hell does she want?

As Cole turned Sam saw the crossbow and threw herself at her father, she cannoned into him, and the bolt meant for his heart missed but took him high in the shoulder.

Sam landed on top of the her father, her body covering him as Kelly threw an energy ball. Cassie was hit square on and thrown back 20 feet into the spilt rubbish bags in front of the McDonalds. She began to get up when Kelly threw her second energy ball; this took her through the glass window as if she was a rag doll.

Sam felt sick, they had failed, her father was infected and the virus had been released onto the Demon community. They had not spotted the woman in time.

It was then they saw the car pull into the car park, and Sam recognized her mother and Aunties, it was time they left. Kelly caught her hand, and they left together, the air folded in around the shimmer as she left, as Kelly's orb gave it the white sparkling.

They had to use the information they had been given to plan their next move, they could not afford to fail.

The present Cassie took an almost savage sip of her drink as her hand tightened on the stem of her wine glass. She looked towards the wall and the crossbow, her mind going back to what had happened next.

She had climbed out of the McDonalds, the alarm had been going off, her thicker coat had protected her, and the fact the energy bolt had taken the glass out as she hit it.

It had been a shock to see the Charmed ones, the sister Witches, around Turner. One she recognized as the youngest, Phoebe, was pulling his shirt open and trying to get a look at the wound, but Turner was pushing her hand away, not letting her help him.

Cassie hefted the crossbow and walked towards them. They didn't know who the hell they were helping. Of course it would look bad because they thought he was mortal, a human.

Phoebe's eyes flashed, "What the hell did you do to him?"

"He's a Demon, he has to die." Cassie brought the crossbow down to sight it on the fallen man. Pru's foot lashed out and the crossbow went flying as Phoebe followed it up with a kick that put Cassie down.

She hadn't pulled any punches and Cassie had found herself looking up at the sisters. Their warning had been plain and to the point, get out of San Francisco, and don't meddle in what you don't understand.

She had never told the sisters about the virus. Cole Turner was infected, and may he rot in whatever hell a Demon soul went to. She raised her drink in a silent toast.

The incubation period for the virus was nearly over and Turner was doomed.

A smile touched her lips, now she had another Demon to contend with, and Blair or whatever it called itself, would now follow him. All she had to do was find a way to infect him and Jim Ellison would be hers.

Prospect The Loft.

Jim Ellison looked around the loft then turned and regarded the shadow that had attached himself to him like a leech. The Demon Guide was still there; he had taken a seat in the truck, and short of throwing him bodily from the vehicle Jim had been stuck with him.

He had given Blair some heavy hints, but the kid had just followed him into the building and up the stairs, still talking a mile a minute. Then he realized just what Sandburg was saying, and decided to stop him in his tracks.

"Look Chief, I don't take in strays."

Jim saw the look of hurt that flittered across the younger looking man's face and gave in.

"Take a seat and tell me how you see this whole thing working out," he saw the kid brighten up. On a level that he could not understand, he knew that he was acting towards Blair as if the kid was his Guide; a Sentinel could not bear to see their Guide hurt, physically or mentally. They needed to take care of, comfort and look after them; he could feel the need beginning like an itch that he could not scratch.

"So how long would you have to be here?" Jim sounded resigned.

Blair perked up, "as long as it's needed." Not adding that all bondings were for life.

"So where is your stuff?"

"I am staying in a warehouse on Bradley and March."

"Not a good area," Jim couldn't help himself. The Sentinel was alarmed that his Guide was living in a gang area, anything could have happened to him. Logically he knew that Blair could kill anyone that threatened him, but the Sentinel was not logical where his Guide was concerned. Taking Blair's jacket off the back of the sofa where the younger man had thrown it, he threw it back at him.

"Okay you, on your feet. You can have the spare room, I am moving you in tonight." He paused then leveled a finger at Blair's face, "Only until the Tr'io is over… understand."

"Sure man." Blair hid the smile. The Sentinel didn't understand, the Tr'io was for life, they could never go back from it. Once created by the decree they would be bound to fight together for eternity. A type of supernatural police force. Prudently he decided to tell James about that later.

The phone rang, and the answerphone took it. "Jim, this is Cassie, I was wondering if we can arrange a working breakfast tomorrow morning. I need to discuss the Quirk Case. I think I know how it was done."

Blair frowned and considered paying her a visit, but she could wait for the moment. He had a Loft to move into. To hurry him along, Jim placed his hand in the small of Blair's back, then spun him around and against the wall with a thud, and was right in his face, as he tugged the automatic from the small of the younger man's back.

"You have a permit for this?"

"Get real, I am a Demon, I…"

"You'll get the right permit, I am not having my Guide," Jim caught the slip, "my temporary Guide, busted for possession, understand me. Now while we're at it, no drugs. If I catch a whiff of anything vaguely illegal, your ass will be in a sling, get me?"

"Sure, sure chill out." Blair patted the broad chest affectionately, "I'm clean. I might be a Demon, but I'm not stupid."

Jim rolled his eyes and eased back, removed the magazine from the gun, pushed it into a drawer, and strode out of the loft. Leaving Blair to follow him, the younger man was almost bouncing.

He had warned Sandburg about shimmering. The Warlock on the ground floor had beefed up the wards on the whole building following Blair's last unauthorized entrance. And he had been warned to keep it mortal, in other words using the stairs.

Blair hefted the box and started up the first flight, only to see the door to the ground floor open and an old man look out at him, immediately he was on edge ready to drop the box to protect himself if the Warlock twitched the wrong way. The old man chuckled. "Easy Demon, I am not about to try anything, my name is Richard Truman, Warlock of the old school and Master of the elements." He put it formally, and then waited for Blair to formally introduce himself to him. "Young people today, manners seem to be a thing of the past." It was a none too subtle hint for him.

"Blair Sandburg, Enforcer for the Source and Guide to James Ellison."

"A merc Demon, interesting," Richard put in, and suppressed a shudder. His grandchildren were due to visit for Halloween, but it was already too late to put them off. A mercenary Demon was always unpredictable, and Sandburg was an Arch Demon, which meant that his power was formidable, the only safeguard was that Jim was bonded to him, which would calm him down.

His eyes narrowed, as a Warlock he could see the ties between Sentinel and Guide, and at the moment the Demon's was still red, no touch of Jim Ellison's karma was mixed with his, so they had still to bond and join. Interesting. He didn't say it was nice to meet the younger man, but he still parted on what he hoped was friendly grounds. Once he had closed the door he reached up and took a book down, he would boost the wards on his apartment even further.

Jim saw the air fold in on itself and a man appeared, tall dark and dressed in black. In the spit second that he knew it was not Blair, Jim's hands came up ready to throw energy.

The newcomer did the same and then seemed to fight the instinct to throw fire when confronted by his archenemy, a Silver Blade. Jim's nose twitched, a Demon, then his eyes widened slightly, the scent was similar to Blair's, different but similar, hard to explain, and it was not because the two men were Demons.

At that moment Blair came through the front door, his box hit the floor and immediately a fireball appeared in his hand, as he stalked forward.

Jim looked from one Demon to the other, "Mind telling me why my home is suddenly Grand Central Station for Demons, Sandburg?"

The man flashed him a smile like a cat that had eaten the canary, it was as if he was going to enjoy this. "Hello Blair."

Blair circled the newcomer, the fireball vanishing "Hi Cole, I see you met James, my Sentinel."

Jim cut in, "you know this Demon then Chief?" He paused then added, "Don't invite your Demon friends into my home, because the next one I am going to fry."

"Not a friend James."

Jim ground his teeth, if the last thing he ever did he was going to get the kid to call him Jim, no one called him James.

"This is my half-brother Cole Turner. Cole, James Ellison."

"Great, a Demon Guide with relatives. Any more I should know about?" Jim let his hands fall to his sides.

"No, only him."

"And Turner, Blair is my temporary Guide, temporary, as in not permanent."

"Temporary," Cole queried, looking at his half brother.

"A misunderstanding on his part," he shrugged.

Cole looked from one to the other, "So they caught you with a Tr'io as well. So you're up to speed on this situation, now we're looking for the amulet in San Francisco; we have a few leads, but nothing that is taking us very far. I thought I better shimmer in, the gargoyles were baying last night, Kaaper is in San Francisco and could be on his way to Cascade. So watch your back, but I see you have that covered now brother."

"And you Cole, your partner is a Sentinel?" Blair wanted to know.

"Not a Sentinel, a Witch."

Blair clapped his brother's arm, " the great Belthazor and a Witch, who would have thought that." He saw the way his brother seemed to tense, and he realized that he had said something that was close to the mark.

"A Demon in bed with a Witch," Jim drawled, he heard the intake of breath and the increase in heartbeat. Oh yes… there was something going on, linking this brother to a Witch, and it went beyond the Tr'io. He had caught the changes in the scent.

The fire ran across Cole fingertips and his eyes flashed with anger as he looked at the Silver Blade, then he felt his brother hand tighten on his arm, "Easy, he didn't mean anything."

Jim shrugged, "Look I am a Silver Blade, you're both Merc Demons, we have a truce, let's use it. Sorry about the crack about you and the Witch." He went around to the fridge and took three bottles out and threw one to Blair and then handed the other to Cole. "Take a seat and let's start talking. Why didn't your Witch come with you for a full briefing, I take it this is what you're here for?"

Cole turned the bottle around in his hands, and then met Jim's eyes. "My Witch is the youngest of the Charmed Ones, it is best that she doesn't leave the city without the other two. If Kaaper strikes they would need the power of three to hold him."

Blair whistled softly, impressed.

"Not defeat him you mean," Jim asked.

"No, even they can only hold him. And we are talking about the most powerful Witches that have been created." He paused then added, "if we are lucky we might just walk away from this alive. Now what do you know about Kaaper?"

Kelly and Sam, appeared, the air folding back on itself in a shower of white sparkling light, opposite the Prospect home of the Silver Blade and his Guide.

"So we missed with your father, we now have to convince Uncle Blair."

Sam was thoughtful; "I think we should approach Uncle Jim first, after all he is a Silver Blade and remember what Aunty Pru told us about Uncle Blair."

"Yeah, all too clearly, Uncle Blair is like your dad but with a hair trigger, now according to Aunty Pru your dad shimmered in to Cascade on the 23rd, and today is the…"

"23rd," the male voice came from behind them. Kelly froze, her eyes meeting those of her cousin, the dark haired girl was looking past her shoulder, she recognized him as the Demon Bh'lear better known as Uncle Blair, but even if she did not know what he looked like she would have known by his all black clothing and the crackle of fire in his hand, that she was looking at an Arch Demon

"Well we have to be going." Sam kept her voice level; she had seen Uncle Blair in action and knew that his reflexes were razor sharp, and he could nail them before they shimmered. With her hand hidden from his view she tried to form a fireball, it might just faze him long enough for them to get away, and try a different way of approaching Uncle Jim.

"Now you would not want to do that would you?" Sam jumped as her fathers voice was against her ear, the fireball hit the floor and she jumped out of the way; she stamped the small flame out. She caught her cousin's hand.

"Nice try," Cole leaned against the side of the alleyway, "you have a lot of questions to answer, and you will." His tone went cool.

The police car pulled up and the two officers exchanged a look, got out of the car, and then they heard the young girls voice in the alleyway, saw the man blocking their escape.

"What's going on here," the police officer demanded, his hand dropping to rest on his weapon, his partner flanking him.

Kelly's hands snapped up and she froze time as Cole released a fireball at the officers.

Blair pushed the girls out of the way, and fired off two fireballs, the police officers went up in flames.

"Don't you know Demon mercs when you see them, now release him." Kelly hesitated and then dropped her hands, as Cole unfroze the fireball continued on its path and incinerated the police car

Sam caught her sister's hand and they orbed out of the alleyway. In a blink of an eye both the men followed, tracking them.

Jim waited patiently in the Loft, he had heard the girl's voices and sent the two Demons down to find them, holding the fort as he waited for their return.

Whatever argument had started before the shimmer was in full flow when the four of them reappeared. Sam brought her elbow back, caught her Uncle Blair in the ribs and managed to pull free of him. Kelly managed to bring her heel down hard on Cole's instep and get away from him.

They didn't bother to try and get out of there. The two men were too fast and too powerful, instead they sought refuge with the only force of good in the whole place. Silver Blade James Ellison.

"Look, just let us go okay?" Sam was pleading. Their plan was going from bad to worse by the minutes.

"Not until I get some answers," Cole loomed over them.

"So who are the kids? The dark haired one shimmered, and she orbed. Now that is interesting, we're looking at half breeds here, must be."

Cole was looking them up and down, "you know Blair, I never caught all of it, but they were suppose to be on the run from some high level Demons, and the sister's decided to protect them. Since then we have been running into Kaaper's people pretty non-stop. Seeing a pattern here."

"So maybe we're looking at a decoy here, care of Kaaper."

The fireball appeared in Cole's hand, and Kelly caught her cousin's arm and pulled her back. If Uncle Cole threw that she would have to duck and run, because there was no way in hell that she'd even think of deflecting that one. And a quick look showed that Uncle Blair was just as ready to fry them.

Kelly tried one last ditch attempt, "Yeah, well we might be half breeds, but we are just as good as you two," she swore under her breath, "oh hell" she had forgotten that at this moment in time the two men were about as evil as you could get. "Well they said you were a Whitelighter."

"A WHITE LIGHTER," Blair turned on his brother, "you have got to be kidding, a Whitelighter? Oh that is great. My brother Belthazor the Whitelighter, a white magic thrower."

"Shut it Bh'lear."

"Go bed your Witch Belthazar."

The fireball narrowly missed Blair's head, and exploded, it was low powered and just scorched the wall. Blair was hit by an energy ball and thrown over the cushions of the sofa, turning it over, at the same time as a second energy ball slammed Cole into the arm chair.

Jim strode forward, without turning he snarled at the girls, "you try and orb or shimmer out of here and your asses are grass, you hear me, and believe me, you don't want to piss me off."

"YOU," he stabbed a finger at Cole, "cool down, and YOU," he crossed to the sofa in three strides and grabbed Blair by the scruff of his jacket and hauled him up, "chill out."

"Fuck you Ellison."

"Keep your mouth clean Sandburg, or I'll personally take a bar of soap to you. Now sit down." He pulled the sofa back up and pushed his Guide onto it.

Kelly moved and was nailed by the coldest pair of blue eyes that she had ever seen, she looked towards her uncle and then looked away, the anger was like liquid fire.

Sam muttered "great way to go."

"Well we could have orb-rimmed, while they…"

For the Sentinel this was losing control and that was the one thing that Jim Ellison did not like, loss of control. Standing between the two Demons, he turned on the girls.

"Now start from the beginning, and believe me, you have our full attention."

The two exchanged looks. "Okay Mister Ellison, my name is Petra Samantha Turner. This is my cousin Penny Kelly Wyatts. We were sent back from 2025, because there was little risk of us bumping into ourselves, it was decided that we would cause the least ripple in time."

"Turner?"

"Yeah Dad, Uncle Blair. We're family, Penny is Aunt Piper's daughter."

Blair cut in, "and they let you come back through time?" He looked skeptical.

"Well they didn't have a choice, you see the forces of Kaaper had been gathering, and Dad, Uncle Leo, Uncle Blair, Uncle Jim, mum and the aunties had to go and face it down. It was decided that if any of you went back it would throw things out of synch, not being born in 2005 we wouldn't cause too much trouble.

The Council and the Source brought a Demon called Tempus, and he said he could turn back the clock. We could not change much, but we could try to change one element that might effect the rest of it. We had to get in with Mom, and the Aunts. Kaaper knew that we had come back and sent the Demons after us. We failed and Dad," she nodded towards Cole, "was infected by the virus."

"What Virus?" Cole asked his face darkening.

"There are some Techno-Witches that have developed a poison, a virus to kill Demons, and they are trying to spread it. Kaaper took advantage of it to take power. We tried to stop you getting hurt and when we failed we tracked down Uncle Blair, and it's already too late, you're both here together. You have infected Uncle Blair, so you see we failed." Now the tears began to really fall.

"Look there is no need for this." Jim could not help but squirm, he hated emotions and this was making him uneasy. He made the mistake of moving his hands to one side and Kelly latched onto him, clinging on for dear life.

Cole suddenly had his hands full with Sam. It didn't matter that this was not fully her father; she just needed to connect with him.

His expression was almost painful. "You take her." He tried to push her to Blair "You're the Guide, the touchy feely one, you take her." He repeated almost desperately.

Blair backed up a step, "No way Coleridge, this is your daughter."

"I have not been Coleridge since 1930, so clam up."

But he could not stop a smile touching his lips as he saw the way that Blair glared at the young girl that was currently wrapped around his Sentinel."

One thing Cole was sure if they lived through it Blair would bond with the Sentinel Silver Blade. It seemed his brother was jealous of the attention his niece was reluctantly getting from the Sentinel.

Jim eased her back, he had seen Blair's reaction to Cassie and didn't want a repeat of that. "Okay sit down and let's see what we can do about this mess."

Sam and Kelly held each other's hands, and watched the Sentinel pacing up and down.

"We are talking about Techno-Witches, I mean how many coven's can there be; you were shot where?" Jim asked.

"In the shoulder."

Jim rolled his eyes, "Which City Coleridge?" That got his attention.

"San Francisco, Silver Blade." The answer was snapped back.

"So the coven is there. What do you know of the person that shot you?"

Kelly put a hand up, "Her name was Cassandra, Mom could remember that, she said the woman was pi…," she amended the words, knowing her father would not like it. "She was put out because Mom and the Aunts would not let her join their coven."

"Like they have one." Cole put in, "I have enough problems with three, you think I would look after a coven of play acting Witches." He was muttering away, Jim pointedly ignored him. He could smell a female scent on the San Francisco Demon, and then turned his attention to Sam, and confirmed it. Her scent was a mixture of the two with its own unique edge, but family.

"The virus takes a while to reach full strength, but it hit right at the time that Kaaper made his move, and this is why he managed to get his powers back." Kelly tried to help out.

"Then why don't you have it kid," Blair was looking at her with a slight tilt to his head as if he was weighing her up.

"I am immune to it, Dad recovered from the virus, and Uncle James took care of you. The others died because they didn't have any back up to help them."

Blair went to the computer. "Techno-Witches are usually internet groups." He powered up the machine, logged on, and began to search, plowing through the search engines.

Jim leaned over his shoulder, his touch centering his Guide as his fingers flew over the keyboard.

Blair was forwarding through the symbols of each group, then Sam was by his side, "that was the one," she pointed to the second one down, and Blair entered the chat room easily hacking through their privacy defenses.

Cassie was on line when she saw the new person enter the chat room. Her eyes went black and her lips pulled back over her teeth in a snarl, as she watched the other members of the coven come on line. Kaaper counted them as they came on line one after another.

They were all now on line.

Kaaper placed his hand against the computer and then sent the energy through the link up. Across San Francisco the Demonic energy ripped through the computers; for a split second Kaaper's Demonic face appeared on the screens and then the women died, electrocuted as the power hit them from the screens and through the keyboards.

Blair was thrown backward from the computer, and rolled in agony as the pain knifed through him and he laid still. Jim began mouth to mouth, as he felt the heart beating but no breath escaping the smaller man.

With a jerk Blair came back, his arms wrapping around his Sentinel, and he felt himself being pulled up into strong arms and held tight, at that moment any thought of Blair being a temporary Guide was forgotten. In that second of death, Jim had known that Blair was his soul mated Guide. Demon or saint, the man belonged to him.

Kaaper knew now was the time to act. The first amulet had been safely left with one of the coven, a stupid woman who didn't know what treasure she held. She wore it as a good luck piece. Now he would send his followers to locate and bring it to him. Then they need only collect the second amulet and the power to return would be complete and he would no longer need the body of this woman. The fool boy had brought it right to his host. She had been so keen to kill Demons that he had been able to take her, and her virus had been a way of clearing away the few hurdles that had been in his way, the Demons in the Tr'io.

The shrill scream of the smoke detector brought Cassie back with a start, her eyes streaming from the smoke pouring from her computer.

Alison Mason came back to her bedroom and stared at the computer, she had seen the laughing face of a Demon, just before her computer exploded.

Shaken she picked up her address book and began to telephone the other members of the coven. The next morning, she arrived at the door of the Halliwell manor, scared and needing help.

Early the next morning The summons came through as Cole slept on the sofa. One moment he was asleep, next he was wide awake It was like claws cutting through his body as he was dragged through time and space. But even then he knew it was Phoebe calling him, his Witch, his partner. The connection between them was growing stronger, soon all she would have to do was call his name and he would come.

He shimmered, reappearing in the Manor to a scream from Alison, and ducked the vase that came arching towards him, as the young woman had panicked at seeing a Demon appear in front of her.

Phoebe came between him and the young woman, "It's okay, this is Cole he's our…, okay you're not going to believe Whitelighter, he's our protection, it's a long story." She turned to the half Demon. "Last night a coven was wiped out, it was Demonic we think it was Kaaper."

"Tell me about it, Blair nearly got burned last night. This coven, how many survived the attack, besides her?"

"Just Alison."

"No." Alison's voice was shaky, "Cassie was on line, but she's in Cascade."

"Cassie as in Cassandra," Cole was on her, brushing past Phoebe he caught her jacket and pulled her to her feet, and before she could protest, he shimmered. Leaving a swearing Witch behind him.

Pru saw the shimmers through the kitchen window, and then called her sister, things had just gone from bad to worse as she saw the Demons coming through the back garden towards the house.

Alison's scream still echoed as she appeared in the Loft. She was struggling to escape. Kelly's hand slapped across the woman's face with a loud crack. She looked almost sheepish.

"Sorry, it's just, you're, he's," she pointed from Blair to Cole, "you're Demons, and she's just been abducted by a Demon. She was hysterical er. Maybe Uncle James should speak to her." Kelly felt the Sentinel's hand ruffle her hair, "you two in the kitchen." He broke off as Cole went to his knees. This time the summons had been like a stab through the chest, he could feel Phoebe's fear.

"We have to get to the manor. Kaaper." As he shimmered, Blair followed, Jim pushed Kelly towards the still sobbing Alison, "You two keep her here."

Then he followed the two Demons.

Cole appeared and hit the floor to avoid two fireballs that arched at him. Blair arrived a split second later, dived to the left behind a old fashion arm chair that was built like a tank, and sent a fireball at a low level slime Demon coming towards him. He didn't have to see Jim arrive to know that his Sentinel was there. The fight was full on, and in the middle of it he could see three girls. Two could handle themselves in a fight, but the third didn't have the combat training. As a Demon caught hold of her, she kneed him in the groin. Demon or man, it had the effect she wanted it to, and scooping up a vase she brought it down on the Demon's head.

Blair saw the knife being thrown and launched himself forward. Catching her by the waist he brought her down with a heavy tackle landing on top of her. She saw him and recognized her worse nightmare, and started to struggle against him. He didn't have time to explain, his fist caught her in the face he pulled the blow but it was enough to stun her.

Before he could regain his feet a foot caught him in the face and he fell backward. The Darklighter's sword arched down, then the man's face changed from triumph to agony as Jim killed him with one slash of the silver knife he carried. He bent down catching Blair's hand to pull him up, when his Guide hauled him down almost on top of him with surprising strength as with his other hand he threw the fireball that arched past him to fry a Demon that was coming up behind them.

Cole caught a kick and plowed into Pru, she was just about to hit out when she recognized him, "we have to clean house Demon, shimmer us to the attic. Who the hell are they, oh my god Bh'lear." There was very real fear in her face as she recognized the other Demon.

"Re-enforcements, a Silver Blade, Bh'lear is his Guide, he's on our side."

Jim had managed to get to the girls, " You heard her, Blair, Cole get them to the attic." He ducked an energy ball, and threw another. "Now get."

When Blair hesitated, he pushed him towards his brother "do it or we all lose."

Jim knew that he could die, but all that mattered was that he could hold them back and give the others a chance.

Piper woke to a frantic stinging blow to the face.

"You," she tried to push away from Blair.

But he grabbed her almost brutally and pulled her to her feet and threw her to her sisters."Get on your feet, your needed."

The five of them shimmered into the attic linking with Cole he allowed his brother to direct the shimmer. Every emotions screamed at Blair to go back and help his Sentinel, but he knew that he had to stay here and protect the Witches or else no one would live through the night.

Together the demons faced the door, their lives measured only in seconds.

Phoebe pulled a page from the Book of Shadows and scribbled a spell on it as the door began to shudder under the attack. She placed a hand on both Demons shoulders and began to recite a spell, then tearing the page in two, placed a half in each man's pocket as she warned. "Don't touch it."

At that moment the door flew open, Blair and Cole ducked and then the fight had begun. Kneeling on the floor the Witches began to recite the spell calling down the Power of Three. She saw Cole stagger backward, the fireball setting his jacket on fire Blair tried to beat out the flames. Then there was a flash of metal, a sword slashed the smaller man from shoulder to hip, as he spun around she saw the glint of metal and the sword Demon screamed, blood gushing from his mouth as Blair's dagger sliced through his throat.

Blair's hand pulled back and his dagger snapped back, taking another demon in the forehead, as he reached out to pull Phoebe out of the circle. Both Demons knew they were loosing.

Suddenly it was as if the house was hit by an earthquake, white light began to pour from the book like a waterfall, it rolled over the dead body of one of the Demons, and for a moment it was lit up, then it turned to dust. A living Demon screamed as it began to turn him to a skeleton.

Neither Cole or Blair could shimmer out of the way in time, the white light swept them up, like rag dolls in a hurricane. They were thrown across the room, landing heavily into the junk. On their knees their bodies arched as the white light took them, white light poured from their mouths as they screamed, and shot from their eyes, then limp like rag dolls they collapsed onto the floor of the attic.

Down below Jim saw the Demons coming at him, this time he knew he faced his death, then the white light came, it washed over him, leaving him standing as it took the Demons. Only one thing was on his mind… Blair.

He took the stairs two at a time, leaping over the piles of ash, and bursting through the smashed door. Blair was on his face, he flipped his Guide onto his back and felt for his pulse, he was alive, closed eyes flickered, then opened, now dazed blue eyes looked up at him. A shaky hand was raised to his head. "Cole?"

Jim looked across; two of the sisters were helping an equally shaken Cole to his feet.

"It's okay Blair, he's battered but in one piece".

Phoebe caught Cole's hand as he went to put it into his jacket pocket, "No" she cautioned as she removed the scrap of paper, even this small part page from the Book of Shadows could give a nasty sting to a Demon. But with her spell it had been enough to keep the two men safe.

"What did Kaaper want?" Jim put in.

"Well it wasn't Alison. The woman Cole took. It was this." Piper took out an almost cheap looking bracelet, "She dropped this when you shimmered her out of here, and the demon's kept coming."

She pulled her hand back as Blair reached for it. Piper did not like the idea of another Demon handling it. But when the man that Cole had said was a Silver Blade reached for it she gave it to him.

"Let me see it."

Jim turned it in his hand, then recognition dawned. "Joseph had one, he found it at the dig, in 1923. We have to get back to Cascade."

As the three men vanished Pru looked around the attic, and then steeled herself for the carnage below, the sirens were getting louder now. How the hell were they going to explain this to the police?

Loft Kelly handed the young woman a drink of tea, and settled down on one of the kitchen chairs, she noted the necklace and the pendent hanging down, her coven symbol. Marking her as a practicing witch to anyone in the know. The woman had introduced herself as Alison, and had calmed down somewhat when she realized that she was not going to be killed. So when the air folded back as someone shimmered in she only jumped one foot instead of three.

Both of the girls were on their feet ready to protect her, only relaxing when they saw who had arrived. Kelly just knew they where going to be in trouble for admitting the police officer to the Loft.

Cole turned around his fireball already leaving his hand at the tall dark man stood at the kitchen counter. Simon only had time to push his son down and duck as it hit the saucepans. He was ready to send a second when Blair caught his arm.

"Hi Captain Banks," he smiled to the Captain. It looked as if he was pleased to see his boss by proxy scrambling around on the floor.

He held his brother's wrist, "James' boss. He's a cop."

"So?"

"So he's a good guy Coleridge," Jim put in levelly as he appeared, pleased to see that the name had the same reaction as before, and stored it away for future reference.

"Sorry Simon, you came at a bad time."

"Who the hell is he, and don't tell me he's not a Demon?"

"He is, this is Blair's brother."

"Brother Demon?"

"No brother, as in half brother, it's a long story." He shrugged, "Cole Turner, Simon Banks."

Darryl looked around the corner of the counter, and gave an awestruck "wow." He knew about Demons and the forces of light and dark, but he'd never thought he would get to see them. Up close and personal.

It was then he saw the amulet, "Hey dad that looks like the one that Granddad Joseph gave you." He pulled his out of his pocket and went across to the others.

Jim caught him and yanked him back, "Keep the amulets away from each other." But already they both began to glow.

The dark figures began to appear in the Loft, but before they could solidify, the Demons and Silver Blade disappeared. The dark figures folded in the air again and were gone; the hunt was now on.

Shimmering faster than it was possible to think, the demons and Silver Blade went through the different realms, trying to lose Kaapers demonic hoard.

Cassie took the steps to the Museum two at a time, the time was not right for the ritual but it was now or never. She left in her wake the dead bodies of two of the guards. Kaaper now had took total control of Cassie and the woman was lost in her own mind.

Kaaper looked at the White Chapel and ran a hand over the walls. It was just as he remembered it over the centuries, to enter from one side he would leave the other with his powers, not yet fully formed but they would grow.

All he needed was the amulets, and his Demons would have them. They knew the price for failure.

Shimmering and Orbing the three men moved across the realms, all the time never stopping for more than a few minutes criss-crossing their own trails.

Jim turned as he heard Blair cry out in pain and double over, he was being summoned, his eyes went wide and he fought against the summons. Jim threw the amulet he carried to Cole and lunged forward.

Kaaper saw the Demon start to take form, and then the Silver Blade appeared, caught him around the waist and orbed out of the Museum.

Kaaper screamed, there was no way that could have happened. No way.

Jim reappeared with Blair tucked against him.

"Cassie Wells, or rather Kaaper, is at the Museum." Jim checked on his Guide as he spoke, "Show time gentlemen. The power of the Tr'io, Cole you need to get you witch if this is to work."

The taller Demon nodded and shimmered.

The first thing he knew something was wrong was when he appeared in the Manor, the pain came up through his legs and burned through his stomach and throat. He misjudged the shimmer and hit the sofa, only just managing to avoid falling. The virus has started.

He gathered up his soul mate and shimmered back. Stumbling as he reappeared, needing Phoebe to keep him upright.

Jim glanced at Blair and then back again; he could feel the heat coming off his Demon it was like being near a furnace. The way the virus incubated must have been affected by his smaller body mass. Soon they would have two very sick Demons on their hands, but unless Kaaper was killed they would not have time to get sick.

The equipment they needed was collected from the PD, guns were no good, only steel and magic would see them through what they had to do.

Jim sketched out their plan of action. "To take Kaaper out, you," he said to the other Tr'io pairing, "need to keep his Demon's off our backs."

Jim put his hand out palm down, "Let Right and Good be done."

He could feel the hesitation and then Blair's hand covered his, then the Witch and then Cole, and they all repeated the words, "Let Right and Good by done."

They joined and shimmered to the Museum.

Cascade Museum, Rainier University.

Kaaper's Demons patrolled the Museum, he knew that the Silver Blade and the Tr'io Demons and their Witch would come. If he played it right what would have been his destruction would be his re-birth, the very amulets that could kill him would save him.

Jim unsheathed the sword and watched as Blair did the same. There was a reason that dark and light practiced with swords, because at the time of reckoning it was the only weapon they could use.

The clash of steel on steel told them that Cole had already begun to work, they took the steps to the main hall and the White Chapel display two at a time. Blair heard the swish of the sword and ducked under it rolled forward and brought the blade up into the Demon's stomach, pulling the sword through, he nearly severed him into two, then twisting he decapitated the falling Demon. Then he was on his feet following his Sentinel.

Kaaper stood at the doorway of the White Chapel, his host's body was fit, but he knew that it lacked the strength to defeat the Silver Blade, but then he only had to get lucky once. He saw the two amulets on the Silver Blades wrists, upturning two bags he began to chant, and they took the form of large dogs with red eyes, they launched themselves at the Silver Blade.

Jim saw the animal the moment before it hit, and the sword went through the body as if it was butter, but the weight drove the sword down, and then the second dog leapt at him. He released the sword and caught the animal. The dog sent him backward the air jolted from his body as he hit the floor, its teeth missing his throat by a hairs breath, he could feel the heated breath on his throat, its teeth cutting into his hands as he tried to catch the jaws. Its claws were tearing his shirt and leaving bloody furrows on his chest and arms, it was shaking its head, then it managed to jerk free and went for his throat.

He heard Blair yell, "duck!"

Jim threw his head back, and the sword skimmed his throat and the severed head of the dog Demon fell to the floor, it's black blood soaking through the Sentinel's clothing. He was manhandled to his feet, and Blair gave him a push to the White Chapel as he stumbled into it, Blair walking backwards keeping the Demons back.

Kaaper was alone now; Jim walked through the door of the White Chapel and felt the temperature go down, as if he faced pure evil. But they had made Kaaper move too early and his powers were not at their fullest.

Jim sniffed and the rancid smell of a Tisha Demon almost made him gag, the Tisha were one of the lowest forms of Demon. The scent came from the ceiling just as it leaped at Blair, Jim caught the silver dagger that was at the small of his back, and thrust up, the Tisha Demon screeched and exploded into dust.

Flipping the silver dagger around in his hand he threw it at Kaaper, the one thing that the Demon never thought he would do, counting on the fact that a Silver Blade would try to protect the innocent life that was his host.

The knife took Cassie in the shoulder, and Jim was on her. A blow to the stomach and then she was forced to the floor, her head down, Blair stepped up with the sword to sever her head.

"No, we have to save the host."

"Let her die."

"Blair, no. Protect the innocent, hold her."

Pinning her down Jim caught her wrists, then allowed the amulets on each of his wrists to touch and the power joined them together, as he began to intone the spell, changing the words the spell that would have created a Demonic Lord now would be his destruction.

Cassie began to buck under the grip of the Silver Blade, and then her head went back, she screamed and black tar began to bubble from her mouth, dripping down her face, she was struggling to breath. Blair pulled it from her mouth, clearing her airways, as the last of the demonic power left her she sagged back down.

Blair saw Phoebe and Cole coming towards them, she had blood running from a gash to her face, his brother was leaning on his sword, his arm around his partner the only thing keeping him upright.

Carefully he scraped up the black substance that had been Kaaper, and placed it into one of the organ jars from the display. "Your Witch will need to destroy this." He handed it to Phoebe, and patted her hand.

Looking at them he knew they would never make it back to the Manor. "You'll never get to San Francisco, go back to the Loft man, and we'll see you later, we have to clean up here first."

They vanished in a shimmer, Cole's head resting on his witches shoulder, his arms wrapped round her.

The Sentinel suppressed a shudder at what they had had to do once the Charmed One and her Demon had left. No trace of them could be left, he could not allow any clue to Kaaper to survive; this was knowledge the mortals should never know. Without Blair by his side he would have had a tough time to do all that had needed to be done. Now at last he could relax, but one thing troubled him Cole and Phoebe hadn't arrived yet, and the demon had looked really ill when he had shimmered her away from the Museum. If he didn't appear soon, they would have to go looking. Trying to take his mind of the problem for a minute, Jim began to fill Simon in on what had happened.

"Cassie is going to be okay, the knife clipped her shoulder, but no serious damage, but it was enough to let us take down Kaaper. We were lucky Simon, if he had been able to attempt the ritual at the time of the full moon, we would not have been able to stop him. But because of the girls being here, it forced him to act early."

Then Jim got onto the topic that most had the Sentinel worried, the Demon killing virus. "Blair has been through Cassie's flat, and found some information on the virus, it's a nasty one." Jim looked across towards the room that Blair had moved into. "The virus attacks their elemental power. For Blair and Cole that's fire. It effects their control of their powers, they could go up in flames, burn to death, gutted from the inside."

"You think that he's got it?" Simon looked towards the curtain separating the small room. Worried about his friend's concern for the Demon Guide.

"Put it this way, I am not going to let him shimmer anywhere out of my sight. If he gets sick he won't be logical. He could hide himself somewhere, and I would lose him." Jim paused, "I can't lose him Simon." There was an edge of despair that Simon had never heard before.

Whatever the Captain was going to say was lost as Simon saw the air fold back, someone was shimmering into the loft, he caught Darryl and pulled him close ready to protect him. It was Cole and Phoebe.

Instead of appearing at floor level, Cole dropped three foot onto the coffee table, it splintered under his weight and he landed heavily and didn't move. Phoebe landed on the sofa, than scrambled off and was by her partner's side. It was with a shock that she realized that Cole was that …her partner.

Jim was by her side, he swore, Cole was burning up with the virus, "Get the water in the bath running, cold as you can, and get him into it, we have to keep his body temperature down, otherwise he could ignite." Then he added, "Simon help her, I'll get some ice." Blair was already coming out of his room when he'd heard the crash; between them they manhandled Cole into the bathroom.

For a moment Jim just looked at the coffee table. Phoebe gave him a push, "Ice, Silver Blade, ice."

"Sure," then almost regretfully he added "pity… it was a nice table."

Then he was gone.

Simon had the cold tap on full, and the water was filling the large tub, as Phoebe began to strip Cole, working quickly, his skin was hot and feverish, an unnatural flush to his face. His shoes hit the floor with a thud, and his socks followed, she looked up the long length of his body to Simon and gave a shrug as the Captain started to peel him out of his shirt and jacket. When she reached for the belt of his trousers, Simon caught her hand, "you get the ice, I'll deal with this," and gave her a push to the door. Simon mused he would have to apply for more money, looking after sick Demon's didn't seem to come under his job description.

Bending he picked the now unconscious man up and laid him in the water, dropping a washcloth into his lap as Phoebe reappeared with two large bags of ice. Even with the seriousness of the situation he could not help but smile as he saw the way she peered over the edge of the tub, and then she colored rather prettily as she saw he had seen her try and check out the Demon.

The next few hours they had to fight to keep Cole alive, Phoebe was washing down his face and chest with the ice water, only to find the water dried on him almost as soon as she had made the sweep over him. His eyes opened but were unfocused, and his head rolled back again. It was a battle to keep his core temperature down, easing him deeper so that only his face was above the water.

Simon heard the loud arguing and leaving Phoebe went into the living room, only to find Demon Guide and Silver Blade Sentinel in each other's face.

"Look man, I go and see her, and find out about the virus from the bitch that created it. That's my brother in there."

"You're infected Blair, if you…"

"If I lose control then I am dead," Blair caught Jim's hand and pressed it to his face. "Feel that James, I am okay. Let me do this. You're a Silver Blade, she's not going to believe that you would gut her. Me on the other hand," he smiled, "she will believe."

Simon interrupted, "But you got the information on the virus."

"I found her notes on the effect of the virus, but not it's make up, and we need that if we are going to survive mortal, understand me." It was said with a snarl, but Blair's attention had not moved from Jim's face.

The clip across the side of his head was not aimed to hurt, it only ruffled the Demon Guide's hair. "keep it polite Chief." He paused, then added, "Okay you go, but if you get sick…"

"I come straight home." Then he shimmered. Somehow the word home meant a lot to him.

Whitelighter Leo Wyatt placed his hands on the woman's shoulder, she had been injured but as an innocent he could heal her. It had not been her fault that she had been taken over by the Demon Kaaper. His hands became golden as the healing vibes passed into her body.

He felt the temperature in the room go down, something only a Whitelighter or Witch could feel, as the air folded and a Demon appeared. Pacifistic by nature Leo grabbed for the flower vase and put himself between the Demon and his charge. The Demon looked him up and down and the smile that touched his lips was far from friendly.

"Forget it Whitelighter, I am part of a Tr'io partnership, otherwise you would be a sparkler." Blair paused "so back off."

Leo tightened his grip on the vase.

Blair shrugged, his hand moved and the low energy bolt sent the Whitelighter flying across the room and into the wall, the vase still clutched to his chest as he slumped to the floor.

"Butt out of if it Sparky." Blair turned his attention back to Cassie, she had pulled herself up against the pillows.

Leo dragged himself to his feet, swaying from the ringing in his head as he swung at the Demon, who ducked out of the way. A round-house kick took the Whitelighter in the chest and he plowed through the curtain around the edge of Cassie's bed and brought it down on top of him.

"Now Cassie, the virus, I want a break down of what is in it, and believe me, you lie and I will boil you in your own bath, and then peel your skin off your body with a blunt knife." His tone was evil.

She bit her lip, "You would not, you're a Tr'io."

"Tr'io?" Leo hesitated, the vase ready to throw at the Demon attacker.

"Yeah, well don't rub it in, your charge here has made a virus that will kill Demons"

Leo looked horrified, "Cassie you have to tell him."

"But?"

"No but, you have broken one of the oldest rules of the Council. You have to tell him now, or I have to leave you."

Cassie reached for the notebook she always carried and began to scribble the potion down, but she had a ghost of a smile as she handed it to Blair, she could see that he was going down with the virus. The Demon would die and she would get the Sentinel, it was already too late for him, no one could make the antidote in time.

Blair had shimmered out and back to the loft, Phoebe had reluctantly left Cole long enough to read it, she glanced back at the bathroom, and then back to Blair, "Can you shimmer me back home, this needs Piper's touch, she's the only one that can create it."

Even as she reached out to wrap an arm around his waist so that he could shimmer them both, she found herself pulled into Jim's arms. "Blair you stay here, I'll take her." Already the Sentinel could detect the increase in his Guide's body temperature. His guide was sick and he refused to allow him to risk his life.

Simon appeared at the door to the bathroom, he had heard Jim's voice, "Simon look after Blair," then to the Captain's despair, the Silver Blade orbed out of the Loft with the Witch.

"Oh great." Hearing a splashing of water he turned and hurried back into the bathroom, the last thing he needed was Demon number one to drown, while Demon number two went supernova.

Time seemed to drag slowly, and Simon was just coming down the steps from the upper bedroom as Jim appeared in the Loft, nearly dropping the tray. Before he could speak he saw the way the Sentinel's head whipped around as he detected the sickness in the air, and the souring of his Guide's scent.

"Blair?"

"Went down with it like you thought," Simon put a hand up, "He's going to be okay, we kept his temperature down. They're upstairs, once the fever broke it was easier to keep them together." He leaned into Jim, "I thought Darryl was bad enough, never, never look after a sick Demon." He pointed to the two fire extinguishers, "have you any idea what it's been like, they fried that potted plant, Blair said it was laughing at him, and the other one, he vanquished your flannel dressing gown, thought it was a Demon coming through the doorway."

It was then Jim noticed that Simon's hair was singed at the same time, as he smelt it, "You okay?"

"This," Simon raked his fingers through his hair, "this was when they thought their thought that I was a …," Simon spluttered through the name. "It's a Demon right?" Then saw the way Jim was laughing. "Yes Simon, it's a Demon," he leaned forward with a quick look at Daryl who was coming up the stairs, whispered, and watched Simon color.

"They thought that I was…!"

"They're both out of their heads Simon."

The Sentinel looked around his Loft; he could see flame retardant fixtures in his future.

Sam and Kelly had been sleeping in Blair's room, and had come out when they heard the voices, and for a moment looked very young and very scared. When Jim came over he found his arms full of the girls, he pulled them close, and just held on.

Simon went past him to check on his charges. "I could not have done this without them both."

Jim lips brushed both their foreheads, "thank you," the wealth of emotions in those two words were intense.

It took several days for the last of the virus to leave the demons, and Cole was able to shimmer without draining too much energy. Once able he escorted the two girls back to San Francisco and spent some time with his partner.

San Francisco

Sam and Kelly leaned against the rail overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, all was right in their world. Kaaper had been destroyed, soon they would be on their way home; Cole had gone down below to contact Tempus.

The air near them shimmered, and Cole appeared leaning against the rail.

"Don't you think it's time to go home now?"

"Trying to get rid of us Dad?" She could sense that there was something he was trying to ask, but there was a long silence. Finally Cole circled her.

"You're my daughter right?" She saw the flickers of flames across his fingertips.

He knew that she was quarter Demon and half Witch and the Demon in him was on edge, she would become very powerful as she grew older, and the old instinct in him was pushing forward, kill now to remove a rival later, but warring against that was his human side. This was his and Phoebe's child; he could not hurt her could he?

Kelly was on edge, if this had been her father they would not have worried but this was Cole as he had been. She got ready to throw an energy bolt, not that it would have fazed him much.

"My daughter." He reached out, the flames still playing across his hand as he brushed her face, he was looking at her with an expression that was hard to fathom. "Am I a good father?" It was asked almost shyly.

"One of the best," Sam said without even having to think, "You're always there for me Dad. You began to teach me how to curb my powers when I cooked my first teddy bear. You made me keep good, said it was the only path open to me."

"I did?" There was wonder in those two words.

"Yeah." On impulse she closed the distance between them and hugged him. For a heart beat Cole struggled to push her away, then it was as if he was hit by an express train, as if sixteen years of their life together had suddenly caught up with him, and he pulled her close to him.

He had a family. From being alone once, he had found Blair, but now he had a daughter and Phoebe would be his wife, he knew it as if the Oracle had seen it. He had family.

Sam saw in him in that split second her father, the one she had left behind in 2025.

"I am not very good at this, you know that."

"Mom said you learn really well."

Sam gave her Dad a final hug, it seemed strange to see him like this, in Demon all black, and to feel the dark vibes running through him. In their time the vibes were muted, but here and now they were like wild fire.

A soul collector Demon chose the wrong moment to burst out of the hedges by the railing. Two fireballs hit it at the same time. With a scream it disappeared into flames, twisting in agony.

"Not bad, but you nearly missed, you need to pull the fire in more, you spun it off your forefinger." Still talking he and Sam shimmered. Kelly looked around her, she was alone, then the next second they reappeared and Sam pulled her close, and this time when they vanished, it was together.

The jogger that turned the side of the path looked around her as she heard the voices. A male and two young females laughing.

Cascade

Blair had relapsed and caused them great concern, but now finally was on the mend. The smaller demon came out of the bedroom, a blanket wrapped around him like a sloppy toga, his long hair stuck up at all angles. It had taken him at least two days to get the mother henning Sentinel to go back to work, the virus had still run its course, but the antidote had helped him avoid the worse effects of the virus. He didn't turn around as Cole shimmered into the Loft.

"Okay, don't say it, you have seen better dragged out of a burning hell pit"

"I won't say it." Whatever he was going to add was stopped in mid sentence as the answer phone clicked on.

"Hi Jim. Remember I am going to be over at 11:00 to run through the case with you. I know I don't usually have dinner with a co-worker but this time… See you then Jimmy."

Blair let the sheets drop away, a fireball took the answerphone head on. It exploded into sizzling melted plastic and metal. "If that bitch thinks she is going to have James she has another think coming, Jimmy, who the fuck calls him Jimmy, he's a man, not a child."

The Demon went back into his room; leaving an amused Cole leaning against the kitchen counter.

The alarms in the PD went off as the two Demons appeared, Blair strode toward Jim, his long hair flying free, he was dressed in bikers boots and black leather trousers that looked as if they had been sprayed on, the black shirt was worn loose and over it a black leather jacket, and over one shoulder a sword, his Demonic weapon of choice.

Rhonda took one look at Blair and the report in her hands hit the floor, the older lady with the bagel cart flopped into one of the seats fanning her face with her hand. The young man was sex on a stick and didn't even seem to know the effect he was having on the females in the bullpen.

The Demon Guide was focused on one person and one person only, James Ellison. Cassie Wells was stood behind him, leaning over with one hand on his shoulder as she pointed out a feature on the photograph she was holding.

Blair's yell echoed through the bullpen. "Keep your claws off him you bitch."

Jim's head snapped up, and he got to his feet to block the clearly angry Demon as he stalked towards him, already a fireball was forming in his hand. His hand lashed around and Jim only had a split second to pull Cassie to him, and the ball hit the wall behind them.

All Jim could think was that Blair was still feeling the effects of the virus. "Easy Blair, this is just Cassie, we defeated Kaaper."

"I know who the bitch is James." Blair sounded almost reasonable as he formed another fireball without breaking stride. "She backs off or I fry her, only one Sentinel and only one Guide, and you're mine James Joseph."

Cassie clung to Jim's arm, "The choice is for James," she put in with a smirk touching her lips, then she ducked the second fireball by swinging behind Jim.

"See Demon, a Sentinel protects his Guide, and that is me."

Blair looked into Jim's face and saw the way the jaw was grinding.

"You," he pointed at Blair, "Keep your hands where I can see them, and you…"

He pulled Cassie around in front of him

"What's this crap about me protecting you because you're my Guide? I would protect anyone from getting fried. And lady stop calling me James. It's Detective Ellison to you, Miss Wells."

"But Jimmy," Cassie dropped her voice to a seductive tone.

"Wells, one more Jimmy, and I will personally fry you, don't ever presume to know what I want."

He rounded back on Blair, and looked him up and down critically. "You don't ever blast into the Bull Pen like this again. And don't ever come in here dressed like a $300 dollar hooker," he added with a snarl as he saw the way the ladies were now undressing his Guide with their looks.

Jim's finger stabbed at Cole, "You have a comment to make?"

"No." Cole tried to stop the laughter from bubbling out and kept his hands up palm first, not wanting to get involved in this argument.

As Jim swung back, Blair was on him, he caught his Sentinel by the lapels and then shimmered them out.

Cassie was boiling, "Captain Banks what the hell are you going to do about this? He's a Demon, you can't…"

"Miss Wells," Simons voice had a cold edge to it, "I am going to do nothing about this, you started it and Jim will finish it. Now why are you still here?"

Cassie stormed out, Cole lunged and caught her, she only managed a squeal as she was lost in the shimmer.

Simon looked around the Bull Pen, "haven't you seen a shimmer before?" Then with a growl he added, "don't you have work to do?"

Halliwell Manor San Francisco

Cole shimmered into the living room of the Manor, then released Cassie, his hands coming up palm first, his body tense.

The look of the room showed that a battle had just taken place only minutes earlier, and a pile of ash, was all that remained of the Demon.

Pru's hands rested on her hips, "Put your hands down Cole, you might be a Demon, but I guess your family."

Cole grinned and turned to look for Phoebe, leaning into her as an arm went around his waist, and he claimed a kiss from her.

Pru settled for rolling her eyes to the heaven, but didn't expect any help from them. She turned back to Cassie as Phoebe's hand had brushed Cole's face. "You're still a little feverish, you need to rest."

He allowed her to settle him on the sofa, but pulled back quickly as Piper put the Book of Shadow's down on the new coffee table in front of him. The book might have protected him once, but he was still wary of it, the book was a Demon zapper, and being careful was one way of keeping alive.

Cassie looked round, remembering the Charmed Ones. "I can't see what all the fuss is about, the virus killed Demons."

"It caused a serious imbalance between good and evil, and through you the virus nearly allowed Kaaper to take control. Although we place no blame on you, for your actions under Kaaper, the Council of Elders is still angry, and have decided to take your powers, such as they are, away from you, and all memory of the virus is to be erased and all record of it destroyed."

"You can't, we could win once and for all."

Pru shook her head, "I would love to destroy all evil," she shot Cole a glare, "but we can't. A void like that would destroy everything, the choice was simple, either we destroy the knowledge, or you. Believe me there are elements," Cassie saw the tilt of the head that indicated Cole "that would have preferred you to fry."

The Techno-Witch saw the flicker of flames running across the Demons fingers. The Book of Shadows glowed slightly as it detected the Demonic power surge.

She knew then he would kill her.

"So what do you do?"

Cascade

Jim and Blair appeared in the Loft; the back of the Sentinel's legs hit the sofa, he went down backward hard, and found himself sitting down.

Blair was right in his face. "Listen to me, you're my Sentinel, and the next time that bitch comes near you I am going to carve her face off and burn her soul, you understand me!"

Jim tried to get up only to be pushed in the chest, and forced back down again.

Blair was on upright again, the energy coursing through him, he could not keep still he was pacing up and down. "She still thinks that she can move into my territory and take what is mine."

The Sentinel looked around the room, and noticed the melted mess of the answerphone and rolled his eyes to the heavens, having a hair triggered Demon as a partner was hard on the fixtures and fittings of his, no, their home.

Reaching up he caught Blair's arm and pulled him down, and anchored him there, "Blair, calm down, you're my Guide, okay?"

"Misunderstanding you said, I am only temporary," Blair almost spat the words at him.

"Okay I was talking total rubbish, you're my Guide, my only Guide. I know that now. I knew when I gave you mouth to mouth, your life force is mine, Sentinel and Guide are one." Reaching out with one finger he pushed Blair's mouth closed.

"You mean that?"

"You mean you think I don't?" Jim turned the question round.

Blair was bouncing, Jim had never thought anyone could bounce sitting down.

"My Sentinel, joined as one."

"My Guide, joined as one." Jim replied with the time-honored reply.

Then suddenly he had his arm full of Demon Guide as he was caught in a hug. There was no going back now.

Hilton Hotel Cascade. The party had been the idea of Piper and Phoebe. They had survived Kaaper, and each time they got through a mission, it was time to howl, you never knew when this might be the last chance you got.

The music was slow and the dance floor was full, Simon looked around then his attention fixed on Cole and Phoebe. He had his arms around her and was holding her close, his hand had dropped from her waist and was now resting lower, and she didn't seem to mind, if anything she was snuggled closer. If they got any more intimate they were going to get arrested.

Blair was sat next to Jim and was talking a mile a minute about something to do with the history of Sentinels.

Kelly was sipping at her fruit juice while Sam was doing her best not to look at her parents. A tap on her shoulder and she realized that Uncle Blair was stood there. She had not realized that he had followed her gaze, "Dance?"

She hesitated a second, then remembered this was her uncle. With a grin she took his hand. He was a good dancer, and moved her around the dance floor.

"Okay Uncle Blair, what do you want to know?"

"Me?"

"Sure, *me*, you want to know about you and Uncle Jim don't you."

"You can tell me."

"I am not breaking any rules, you and Uncle Jim bond, and it's real neat."

"Neat."

"Yeah, real neat."

He hugged her close then released her and finished the dance, when they looked around Cole and Phoebe were missing.

Pru was not happy, they had booked three rooms, and she was sure that Cole and Phoebe had gone up to one together, the Demon had helped them, and for that she was thankful, but the idea of the two of them becoming lovers wasn't one that she was happy with. Normally she didn't stick her nose into her sisters love life, but this was different this was Belthazor, Mercenary Arch Demon and Witch Killer, Assassin for the Source of all Evil. She had checked two of the rooms and that only left one.

She raised her hand to knock on the door, and then heard the almost desperate pleading.

"Cole, Cole, don't, no, no." Then what could only be described as cloth tearing.

Pru came through the door fast, her hand already lashing out, the power caught the half Demon and threw him across the room and into the wall, it was then she tripped over the black clothes on the floor and ended up on her knees on the carpet. Cole recovered fast, ready to throw an energy ball at her.

"Cole, honey, no!"

The older sister's mouth fell open, and she mouthed "Cole honey?"

Cole, honey, lowered his hand but kept the energy ball glowing balanced on his fingers. His eyes fixed on Pru burned with an unholy light. It was then she registered his state of undressed and swallowed, trying to look at anything but the naked half Demon. She could feel her face flushing red.

With an angry snap at her sister she fled the room. Phoebe with a look at her soon to by lover, closed the door behind them, and steeled herself for the storm force Pru.

"I can't believe that you and him…"

"Cole," Phoebe supplied the name.

"You and Cole in bed… with a Demon. What can he give you?"

"Besides the hot sex."

"Whoah, that is way too much information."

Phoebe grinned, then sobered, "I love him and he loves me"

"You do understand about the Tr'io, once you and him have made love, we can never get rid of him, it's like feeding a stray."

"Well I never want to get rid of him, I love him, live with it Pru." She turned back to the door and started to push it open, "and he's moving into my room, there is no way he's staying in the Mausoleum a day longer." She watched as her sister threw her hands up in the air in despair. But before Pru could say anything Phoebe turned back into the room. Pru hesitated then put her head round the door, and aimed at the bed, she cast her power there was a crack and the frame gave way, she heard an yells as demon, sister and mattress hit the floor with a loud bang, that should cool their passion. Pru closed the door and kept walking.

Simon turned around to say something to Jim, and saw him vanish with his Guide, leaving him with Piper and the girls. What the hell, he was not going to let it spoil his evening; this was going to be fun. With old world courtesy he put a hand out and lead Piper on the dance floor.

Blair appeared in the Loft, surprised by the way Jim had orbed him out of the Hotel.

Tonight they would start on the way to a bond, a joining of heart and soul. The Demon found himself pushed down on the sofa, as the Sentinel began to prepare the loft. He placed the candles in a circle and then sat down and reached out for Blair, drawing him down on the carpet As their hands touched he felt a tingle of power run through their hands. The candle flames turned white from red as they sat opposite each other. Jim sat cross-legged, his hands now resting on his knees which just touched Blair's, that was the only contact they had. His smile was brilliant. "Join me Blair."

He closed his eyes. The smoke from the candles began to increase like a white mist that wrapped around the two men. Blair could feel the spirit of the Sentinel in that mist. He lifted his head as he closed his eyes, it was like a soft caress to his face. He responded to this spiritual touch, and the mist began to become edged with a soft blue light. The mist never mixed the colors completely just plaited them together, forming a long cord that wrapped around the two men, and as Jim reached his hand out and took Blair's, the mist cord tied them together, bonding them. This was but the first stage, the bond would only grow deeper with time, until it could never be broken.

Out in the dark night, a Demon stalked his victim. Soon Sentinel and Guide, Demon and Witch would be needed, but that is another story.

The End.


End file.
